The Fallen Messiah
by Paulzies
Summary: He woke up with no memories in a whole new world. But that won't stop him. He'll get them back fast, and in doing so, he'll reawaken his lost powers. And all of a sudden, the Wildest Wildcard has finally been drawn. Read and review! Fav and Follow! (constantly updating)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: If you notice carefully, you'll realise this chapter is now 6 chapters shorter than it was before. That is intentional. When I was re-writing i decided to just screw it and re-write the whole thing. So far i'm done with two, which is** _ **something**_ **i guess. Anyway, I realised I was too eager with making Minato constantly badass before that I neglected alot of plot and characterization, to the extent the story was a constant cycle of Minato meeting a new group of people and showing off his power. I hope to correct that this time. Anyway, the first two chapters are up, do tell me what you think, and this time, I'll gonna deviate from canon once the intro arc is over**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

It was still dark outside when he woke up – no, when he was woken up.

He turned to look at the clock next to his bed.

 _3.30am_

Then, he shifted slightly to face the figure sitting on his chair, whose presence had stirred him from his sleep. He didn't dare call the entity a human. It gave off a feeling he could only describe as otherworldly. He wondered how he knew.

"Good morning," he finally said after a brief staring battle.

The figure stood from the chair and walked up to his bed, the moonlight from the window finally illuminating him. Whatever it was, it took the form of a human male teenager. He wasn't fooled by the ripped jeans, or the plain T-shirt, or the red tousled hair the being wore. This was no child, no _mere_ human. There were faded and silenced screams in his head telling him to be wary, some even telling him to run.

It definitely had power, but he couldn't detect any ill-intent coming from it.

Yet.

Upon seeing his guarded look, the non-human smiled and he shivered. It didn't have teeth, it had fangs – and they lined the interior of its mouth, sharp and serrated.

"You should wait a little more before deciding if it's good," the entity replied. Even though the creature moved its mouth, it didn't speak. The words came straight into his mind, bypassing his ears, and that caused him to stand up straight, and he narrowed its eyes at it.

"You didn't have to dress-up for me. What are you really?" He asked.

It looked down on itself briefly, before giving him that same creepy grin as earlier.

"I didn't dress up for you. I dressed up for _them_."

"Them?"

It gestured to the window and what lay outside it. "Those who rule this world, of course. Who'd know the havoc that would ensue if I had descended in my real form? There'd be panic – I'd never be left alone, all eyes would focus on me, and by association, you as well. Besides, this is only a small fraction of my essence. The rest of me… Let's just say it's somewhere else."

He continued staring at it, not understanding it.

It continued to speak. "As for what I am, for now I suppose you can call me Red."

He frowned at the unenlightening answer. Before he could open his mouth however, it interrupted him.

"Have you not realized?"

"Realized what?"

"Your memory."

His eyebrows shot up. His memory? He began to dig immediately.

And found absolutely nothing. Panic began to rise in his throat. He turned to look for a mirror, finding one next to a cupboard. He recognized the blue-haired reflection staring back at him, but nothing else.

His history? Gone.

His friends and family? Wiped clean.

His name? Forgotten.

There was nothing he could remember.

Sweat began to form, trickling down his face. His breathing began to quicken, and he could feel his hands shaking.

He looked back at Red, who was still grinning at him. It clearly enjoyed his reaction.

Fear was quickly replaced by anger and he clenched his fists.

"Did you do this to me?" He asked.

"Yes." Was its immediate reply, and then a moment later, "but not because I wanted to."

He gritted his teeth. "Then why?"

"Because that white-haired girl asked me to."

"And why would she order you to do that?"

He was surprised by the flash of anger in the creature's eyes, which he now realized had slit instead of circular pupils. Like that of a serpent's. It snarled and raised its voice. "Do not presume that I am so weak that I do things because others tell me to. If I so wanted to, I could sink this whole island with a flick of my claws. Are we clear on that?"

He found himself nodding, and released the breath he didn't even know he was holding when Red's expression returned to normal. His mind lingered momentarily on the word 'claws' but he dared not ask.

"It was for your own good." Red finally admitted. "If you come here with your old memories haunting you and your psyche still shattered by your trauma, your judgment will be flawed. Do not be so afraid though, your memories will return to you in bits and pieces. Hopefully by the time when you have recovered most of them, your soul will have mended enough such that you do not feel like destroying this world."

"Destroying… this world?" He echoed.

Red laughed for the first time. "You have power, boy, even if you cannot feel it right now. You will regain full use of them in due time, and when you do, I am curious as just how powerful you can be. Do you think I let _anybody_ with a sob story cross the threshold into this world? When I first saw into your soul, I saw so much potential and possibility that you stand a chance to rival _me._ " Red cracked opened his lips, as though it was baring its fangs. "My body has not trembled in such excitement in centuries. I am very much looking forwards to our fight. And we _will_ fight."

He felt uncomfortable at the bloodlust and focus directed at him. Quickly changing topics, he asked, "Who is this white-haired girl?"

Red shrugged. "I forget her name, she was not worthy enough for me to remember, but she claimed she was an acquaintance of yours, and that you were very important to her."

His empty mind did not help – he could not recall anything no matter how hard he tried. "Where is she now?"

"Not here."

"Wha-"

Before he could finish asking, Red raised his hand. "My patience grows thin. School starts at eight in the morning. Until we meet again, Arisato Minato, _Sleep._ "

His eyelids suddenly felt as though they weighed a few tons each, and slumber overcame him.

* * *

His eyes snapped open at the sound of an alarm ringing. Instantly, he sat up and looked around his room, searching for Red. There was no sign of his presence at all; even the chair had been pushed back under the table. Had it all been a dream?

Unlikely, for he still could not remember a thing.

Sighing, he got out of bed, turning off the alarm.

 _6:00am_.

He was frustrated that Red had left so abruptly. He still had so many questions. Then again, Red had seemed reluctant to answer anything in the first place. He pressed his face into his palms. What in the world was he supposed to do next? He didn't even know his own name.

Wait. What had Red said before sending him to sleep?

' _My patience grows thin. School starts at eight in the morning. Until we meet again, Arisato Minato, Sleep.'_

Arisato Minato.

Instinctively, he knew that was it. He couldn't explain it, but the words rolled off his tongue perfectly. He was Arisato Minato. He smiled.

It only lasted for a second before he was confused again, another question coming to mind.

What did Red mean by school?

* * *

Minato looked down at the emblem stitched onto his left breast pocket.

Then he looked at the golden walls inscribed on the gates in front of him.

 _Kuoh Academy_

He let out a whistle of appreciation. Were it not for the cars bustling behind him, he might believe that he had travelled back in time.

Kuoh Academy looked as if someone had tried to convert a massive Victorian-era mansion into a school and succeeded. High walls surrounded the huge plot of land, while well-maintained gardens and bushes dotted the area within. A straight path led from the iron gates to the main school building, a six-storey high structure with a water fountain in front of it. He had done his research before coming; Kuoh was a private school that catered to the very talented and the very rich, and it showed. The pristine white building looked as if it was chiseled from marble itself, and grand pillars reached from the ground to the roof.

Looking around, he could see students engaged in conversation walking past him, most of them girls. He was feeling slightly at loss, having no clue where to go. Following the crowd, he walked in, taking note of the conversations going on around him.

"I heard the Perverted Trio almost got suspended yesterday. The Kendo Club was _pissed_."

"What? They haven't been expelled yet? What's the Student Council President thinking?"

"Who knows? By the way, did you do the homework? I completely forgot about it, can you lend yours to me before class so I can copy it?"

"Again?"

The students seemed ordinary, which unsettled him somewhat. He felt aged and old, and for some reason he couldn't help but think he had long outgrown school. At last he reached the grand doors of the school building, but he was hesitant to enter. Where would he go from there? He didn't know what class he was in, or if he was even in the school records.

"Excuse me, are you Arisato-san? The new transfer student?"

He turned around and saw a black-haired student standing before him. She was short, her head only reaching to his head, but she carried herself with confidence. A pair of glasses sat on her nose, which she pushed up. Her hair was cut short and her uniform ironed, she was clearly a well-groomed person. She gave off the feeling of authority.

"Yes," he replied politely, "I am Arisato Minato. I recently arrived in this city, nice to meet you."

She looked him over briefly, and then stuck out her hand. "Hmmm, I'm Shitori Sona, the Student Council President, welcome to Kuoh."

He took her hand and shook. She had a surprisingly strong grip for someone that looked so small.

"Come," she said, "Let us get your orientated to the school."

The school was deceptively large, much bigger than it had originally looked from the outside. Contrary to its historical appearance, its interior was modern with its top-class facilities and cutting-edge equipment. Then again, it was expected from a rich school. What he did not expect however, was the forest behind it.

The forest was at least thrice the size of the school building, and that allowed it to hide another building within.

"This is the old school building. It's currently used by the Occult Research Club. I'd warn you against going in. There is a reason why the Occult Research Club likes it so much," Sona said.

He found it odd that one club had the entirety of the building. Then again, it looked dilapidated, with its exterior faded and vines and moss creeping along the walls. Probably no other club had wanted to use it, he reasoned.

After a moment of silence staring at the building, Sona clapped her hands. "Well, that concludes the tour, let's get you into class."

As they walked back, Sona began to talk.

"Arisato-san, there are a few things I think you should know about Kuoh before you get settled in."

She paused for a moment.

"I'll presume that you've already done your research, and that you know that Kuoh was once an all-girls school that recently turned co-ed?" At seeing him nod, she continued, "It's only been a short while, so as you would have seen earlier, there is a proportionally large lack of boys in this school. This makes it difficult for us, as the government requires co-ed schools to have a minimum percentage of each gender to ensure fairness. Thus, boys in this school enjoy a certain degree of technical 'immunity' from expulsion as a form of punishment."

At this, Sona's tone went abit more serious, and Minato was starting to understand where she was going with this line of speech. " _However_ , do not abuse this. Kuoh expects the highest of standards from its students, and students who violate the code of conduct will be disciplinary dealt with."

"I understand," he said.

She nodded in approval, "good." For a moment, he thought that was it, but Sona's face turned slightly sour. "You seem like a responsible and diligent person, so I'll trust you for now. But I should also inform you that there are a few students who are negative influences here in Kuoh."

"I see. That is normal, doesn't every school have a few bad apples?" He responded.

"Indeed, but this bad apple in particular is in your class. Please," it almost sounded as though she were pleading with him, "whatever you do, _please_ , do not become like Hyoudou Issei. Do not associate yourself with him, do not follow him, try not to even _talk_ to him," and then under her breath she muttered, but still loud enough for him to hear, "three of them is enough of a headache."

"I… will try," he said, to which Sona looked thankful for.

The walk back was spent in relative silence, which was only broken by Sona when she felt the need to point out and introduce minute things they had missed out in their initial tour. Finally, on the fourth floor, they stopped in front of a door.

"And this is your classroom, Arisato-san. Please enjoy your time here in Kuoh, and I hope you do make the best out of it to have a meaningful and enriching youth," Sona said before bowing deeply and walking off.

He didn't know why, but somehow he felt that was the most sincere and genuine thing Sona had said all day.

Shrugging away the strange sensation, he slid the door open, revealing a classroom full of students and a lone teacher. Their lesson having been disrupted, every pair of eyes now turned to look at him. Ignoring their gazes, he walked in.

Now that he was facing the class, he could see what Sona meant by the skewed gender ratio. In the class of around thirty or so students, there were only four boys.

The teacher, a young woman, quickly regained her senses, "Oh you must be Minato-kun! Welcome welcome! I'm Yuki Shizune, your homeroom teacher! Welcome to Kuoh!" Turning to the class, she gestured towards him. "This is Arisato Minato, he'll be joining our class from today onwards. Can someone volunteer to help him get used to school here?"

A hand shot up into the air instantly.

"Me! Me! I can teach Arisato-san everything there is to know about the school!" The speaker, a boy with long and brown hair got to his feet. "The seat next to me is empty too! That'll make it easier for the both of us, sensei!"

Shizune-sensei looked uncertain. "Is anyone else willing?" At the lack of response, she tried again, " _Anyone_ else? Please?" It almost sounded as though she was pleading.

He looked up to her. "It is fine, I'll manage."

She sighed, a look of defeat on her face. "I'm sorry then, Minato-kun. But you'll have to sit with Issei-kun then."

Wait what?

Before he could voice out his objections, the teacher had already turned back to the board, and began to write, signaling the resumption of the lesson.

Without a choice, he slowly made his way across the class, where Issei awaited him eagerly. There were a few muffled whispers of luck and pity, but he dismissed them.

"Hello Arisato-san, I'm Hyoudou Issei, but I'm fine with you just calling me Issei!"

"Hello," he said, mentally deciding to ignore all the previous warnings and give the boy the benefit of doubt. There was no way anyone could be _that_ bad.

Patting the empty seat next to him, Issei continued to talk. "Come sit! There is so much for me to teach you!" and then there was a glint in his eye, "now tell me, are you a butt or a boobs kind of guy?"

He hoped he wouldn't proven wrong.

* * *

He was.

He must have sinned very heavily in his previous life. Committed some kind of heinous deed. Perpetrated numerous atrocities.

And now, he was paying the price.

His initial assessment of Issei was partly correct – the boy _was_ outgoing, extremely so, in fact. Unfortunately, all their conversations all followed the same thread.

Girls.

Issei was obsessed, to an almost inhuman degree, with girls. And breasts. And harems.

Barely ten seconds had passed after he sat down when the boy tugged on his sleeve.

"Arisato-san, what do you think?"

He leaned over to look at the notebook Issei was showing to him.

His mind was having trouble comprehending what he was looking at. It was a collection of curves and lines, and it was only by tilting his head that he realized what he was looking at.

Issei had drawn Shizune-sensei.

 _Nude._

He immediately straightened up, choosing to focus his attention on class, only to have the image branded in his mind when he saw said teacher at the front.

Silently he cursed his previous self for amassing such a negative karmic debt in his past life.

He must have done something terrible, on a cataclysmic level to have earned the ire of fate.

That was how the rest of the day went.

He would struggle to pay attention to class, only to have Issei tap him every few minutes to show him some new drawing or to engage in philosophical discussions of the different fetishes and which were acceptable and which weren't.

"So, after my 5th girl, I was thinking about trying to recruit a foreigner, but Matsuda was telling me about how maids were rated higher than foreigners, so I'm really at a loss right now."

Currently, the pervert was spending their lunch break regaling to him his grand vision of building his harem. Initially, he had questioned the feasibility of his goal, actually contributing to the conversation and pointing out the flaws in his plans.

For one, girls had these things called emotions. Issei's response to the probe was so idiotic and unthinkable that he simply had no counter.

"Ah yes, love. The greatest emotion of them all. I will use my love for them to unite them together! As their king, they will _naturally_ love me wholeheartedly, and I will make sure to treat them all equally, to make sure no favoritism is practiced!"

Good Lord. The boy was incorrigible. But Issei did not notice his stunned look and continued.

"When God created breasts, he created them equal. Small, round, big! All breasts are good breasts! Together, my harem will be united by my love for them and their breasts!"

He had tuned out after that, content with letting Issei continue with his monologue while he played music into his headphones at maximum level. Every now and then, he would nod, and Issei would launch into a whole other topic about girls, breasts or harems.

He needed to find new friends.

He had wanted to change seats, but the window seat next to Issei was the only one unoccupied. It seemed Issei's reputation preceded him, and throughout the class he heard murmurs of the infamous 'Perverted Trio' that he had founded, and the latest shenanigans they were up to.

He would have to bear with this for one more year, but he was certain he could do it. Patience was something he had in ample supply, and it would take more than soliloquies of perversion to stretch his thin.

* * *

 _Red_

The color registered in his mind before he realized what he was looking at. Instantly, images assaulted his mind.

 _There is a red-haired girl, and she is standing on the stairwell, studying him._

 _They are riding on a scooter, and her face is pressed into his back, and he can feel her tears as they soak his shirt._

 _They are alone in a classroom, and suddenly she pulls his shirt and he feels the sensation of another pair of lips pressing onto his own._

 _She is Mitsuru Kirijo, and she is his lover._

It felt as if someone had stabbed a knife in his head and started twisting about. He pressed his hands to his head, which was hanging dangerously close to the table, trying to mitigate the pain. Emotions, images and words that were long forgotten attacked his mind relentlessly, and the migraine he was getting from it was unbearable.

 _Mitsuru_

His hands started to shake as the name repeated itself in his head over and over again.

 _Mitsuru_

 _Mitsuru_

 _Mitsuru_

It refused to stop, and the name of the girl he was in love with escaped from his lips in a soft whisper.

"Mitsuru."

But loud enough for Issei, who was leaning over him in concern, to hear.

"Mitsuru?" he asked, "what's that?"

The pain resided slowly, and he raised a shaking hand to the window, pointing to the red-haired girl who was walking in the gardens below that had caught his attention. She looked Caucasian, had a generous chest and deadly curves. But still, it was the red hair trailing behind her that made everything else he saw invisible. She was accompanied by a long-haired brunette and what seemed to be a crowd of followers behind them.

"Ah. I see who you are looking at Arisato-san." Issei smirked. "Your taste in girls is not bad, if I say so myself."

"But neither one of them are called Mitsuru."

He puffed out his chest and raised one leg onto the chair in front of them, before pointing to the two figures below.

"Those two beautiful women are Kuoh Academy's Two Great Ladies: Rias-senpai and Akeno-senpai!"

Two Great Ladies? He frowned. What kind of weird name was that?

"They are the dreams of every man in this school, the crème da la crème in this school that is filled with beautiful women. They are _epitome of beauty!_ "

And then, a steely expression settled on his face and he proudly declared,

"WHICH IS WHY THEY WILL BECOME THE FIRST TWO MEMBERS OF MY HAREM!"

He sighed, and turned to study the so-called "Two Great Ladies".

Imagine his surprise when he realized they were looking right at him in amusement, and upon closer inspection, so was everyone below.

How?

He turned and that's when he realized something he should have a long time ago.

The window was wide open.

And Issei's last proclamation had been loud. Very loud.

Loud enough for anyone standing in the gardens to hear.

It seemed as though the idiot had no social awareness of any kind, and did not realize that the entire classroom and a good portion of the school population now had their eyes trained on him.

And by the sheer proximity he shared with the pervert, their gazes of disbelief, anger and disgust landed on him as well.

He could feel his cheeks heating up, and he hastily lowered his head from the window, planting it right in the middle of the table in embarrassment.

 _Goddamit Minato, what unforgivable wrongdoing did you do before this?_

* * *

When he reached home, the first thing he did was flop himself onto his bed. The rest of the day had been uneventful after lunch, but he still found himself trying to come up with new and novel ways to silence the pervert. He had contemplated duct tape, sweets and super glue.

There was something clinically wrong with the boy. He was sure of it. There was no other explanation. Maybe Issei had some past trauma, or an addiction problem. Maybe he was really stressed and didn't know how to relieve it.

Perphaps he should seek to correct the boy for his flaws, instead of judge and fault him for it. Frankly speaking, he didn't really know what else to do with his memory gone.

Speaking of which… he should really be more worried about it than he currently was.

But he had made progress today – he remembered a name.

 _Mitsuru._

The image of a girl immediately came to mind.

Her pale skin, her long dark hair covering her left eye. And the brown eyes that would soften from their steely gaze to a tender one when his eyes met hers. He remembered the details so clearly he couldn't believe he'd forgotten them in the first place.

Whatever the case, he had a lead. Mitsuru and -

He frowned. He knew there were others. He and his lovers had been part of something bigger.

He was certain of it. In his mind, he saw a group of people standing together, himself and Mitsuru standing in the centre, but the others refused to identify themselves, appearing as silhouettes.

Was the white-haired girl that Red had mentioned one of them? What had happened to her and the others?

What happened to him?

He suddenly felt very tired.

Maybe, he convinced himself, going to sleep would reveal more clues in his dreams.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by in a blur, and he found himself settled into the school routine quite nicely. The days were becoming more identical: go to school, listen in class, tolerate Issei and then go home. He enjoyed the long walks home, often taking a detour in the park. There had been no luck with his memories, however, and he had clung onto to every detail he could remember about Mitsuru, scared that it would slip through his fingers if he didn't think about it often enough.

The situation was getting ridiculous, and everyday he was becoming more and more confused with his predicament. He genuinely had no clue what he should be doing. He was aimless. His plan to rehabilitate Issei was working slowly. He tried sneaking in topics that would deviate their conversations to more socially acceptable topics, like fashion, or games. It worked occasionally, but most of the time, Issei was able to manipulate it to return to his favorite theme via lingerie and eroge. Contrary to his appearance, he realized Issei was genuinely quite intelligent, and could put his brain to good use if he was motivated enough. He discovered this after realizing that Issei always managed to complete his homework in the same class it was given out so he could 'have more time to do his stuff' at home. Issei was a work in progress, but for now, it gave him something to do, which he did not mind.

The only notable event happened on Friday, after school.

He had been packing his bag, all ready to go home, when Issei wrapped one arm around his shoulders.

"Arisato- san, do you want to see something _cool_?"

He turned to look at Issei's perverted grin, before deciding his reply.

"No." He pushed Issei away and turned to walk away.

But Issei was determined in his efforts, and the same hand latched onto his shoulder.

"Come on, Arisato-san! It's the Kendo Club!"

That made him pause.

He'd been contemplating joining a club for a while now, and the Kendo Club was high on his list. Watching them train would certainly be quite beneficial in helping him come to a decision.

"Fine."

Issei's eyes lit up. "That's great! I'll call Motohama and Matsuda!"

He raised an eyebrow. Why were they coming? Did they enjoy swordplay as well?

The first inkling he had that something was wrong was when he realized that they were going in the wrong direction. The dojo was in a separate wing, and Matsuda was bringing them to his "latest vantage point" which was strangely on the opposite side of the building.

He found himself frowning at his choice of company; the Perverted Trio certainly lived up to their name, and talked about nothing other than adult content. To his annoyance, they were adamant in dragging him into their conversation as well.

"So, Arisato-san, do you prefer cosplay or group?" Inquired Matsuda.

"Arisato-san,what kind of fetishes do you have?" Probed Motohama.

Issei, of course, proved to be on a whole other level.

"Arisato-san, I can't decide who to watch this weekend! Help me choose!" And then the idiot promptly flashed two _very_ explicit pictures in front of his eyes.

That was the story of how he broke Issei's phone.

He was saved, however, when Matsuda announced the arrival to their destination.

"We're here! Get your cameras out!" Which sent Issei into sulking mood, because he had been planning to use his phone – which was currently chucked into the dustbin behind.

He, on the other hand, was just confused.

This was a janitor's closet. That was the second inkling he got.

He didn't really understand, but he followed the Trio into it, ignoring the sense of foreboding that was coming.

Did Issei lie to him? No, perverted as he was, Issei was an honest boy.

He would just have to find out.

The room was dark, and upon entering, their voices dropped to hush whispers.

"I just need to move this," Matsuda said as he lifted a cardboard box away, revealing a hole in the wall. "Tah-dah!"

…

Unlike the other two, he was not amused. How was he supposed to watch the Kendo Club's training through such a small hole? And what was with all the secrecy?

"You can go first, Arisato-san, since you're new."

Issei looked slightly crestfallen at that, but he shifted his position to place himself behind the hole.

…

On hindsight, he should have realized that Issei had never mentioned anything about watching the Kendo Club's _training_. He should have known better, that any activity Issei partook in was sure to be some act of debauchery.

That would explain why he was currently peeping into a changing room.

One which was currently in use by the _girls_ of the Kendo Club.

He immediately turned his head, ignoring the questions that the other three were asking about the details and made his way straight to the door.

"I'm leaving." He opened the door and turned to them, much to the surprise (and horror?) of the other three.

"Oh no, Arisato-san." He froze as he heard a familiar voice.

He slowly turned his head, and lo and behold, there stood Shitori Sona at the entrance, along with what appeared to be the rest of the Student Council. They all carried that fake smile that promised of pain and suffering for those at the receiving end of the Council's wrath.

He was at a loss of words, and the sounds of surprise that escaped from his lips were drowned out by Sona's next words.

"You're not going anywhere."

He had been let off lightly, with Sona giving him the benefit of the doubt and accepting his explanation with a healthy degree of skepticism. She did, however, make it very clear, as he watched the Trio cleaning the men's toilets, of the consequences should he be caught the next time.

There would be no _next time_ , he assured her.

That explained why he hadn't acknowledged Issei's presence for a whole week after that, much less speak to him.

* * *

It was once again, on a Friday morning, that something completely unexpected happened.

It began normally, until Issei walked into class with a look of pure bliss that was uncharacteristic even for the normally jovial boy.

As usual though, he had immediately thrust a picture into his face, and asked.

"What do you think, Arisato-san?"

The girl, though much prettier, was far younger than the previous ones, and to his surprise, fully clothed.

But, following the events of the previous week, he remained silent, determined not to dignify the pervert with a response.

Until Issei said, "Her name is Amano Yuma, and she's my _girlfriend_."

"What?"

He looked at the growing smile on Issei, before he realized that the word had slipped out of his mouth.

"You're talking to me again!"

Indeed he was, he frowned.

It seemed that Issei getting a _girlfriend_ of all things had surprised him to the extent that his Vow of Silence had been forgotten.

But there were more important issues at hand.

"When."

"Yesterday! After school!" chirped Issei.

"How."

At this, even Issei looked confused, and he shrugged. "I dunno, she said she's from another school but she's been watching me for a while and finds me super handsome and super attractive. And that she's _totally_ in love with me and wants to go out with me."

What?

Issei must have noticed his look of disbelief, and he continued. "I know right! I didn't believe it too, but she's _super hot_ and has the _most amazing breasts!_ "

And he didn't find that suspicious?

Judging from her picture, she was beautiful enough to rival Kuoh's Two Great Ladies. A boy like Issei had nothing to offer her, she was way out of his league. What could cause a person to stoop so low?

He looked at Issei, who was still staring at the photograph dreamily, then frowned to himself.

Whatever the case, Issei seemed happy, and this Amano Yuma could possibly help change the pervert into a semi-decent excuse of a human being. Though from what he'd seen, the chances of that happening were so miniscule he would call it impossible. Then again, he'd felt the same way about Issei finding a girlfriend. Look how that turned out.

"We're going on a date this Sunday!"

Still, chances were that this Amano Yuma had somehow misjudged Issei, and that the relationship would crash and burn within a few days.

"Arisato-san?"

Which meant… Issei could perhaps learn a lesson or two from his heartbreak, and turn over into a new leaf.

"Arisato-san, why are you ignoring me again?!"

He smiled. Either way, this was a win-win for him.

Somehow, having a girlfriend made Issei twice as more annoying. To the extent that the brown-haired boy had dragged his whole table towards his own so that they could converse better. (he was still ignoring him.)

His lessons were punctuated with pictures of her, along with screenshots of their texts, but most of the time was spent with Issei sprouting ideas for his weekend date.

"So after the movie, I was thinking that we could go somewhere private, you know? Somewhere that has that romantic feel to it. Somewhere that could end the date on the perfect note!"

He was surprised by his ideas, not because they were revolting, but because they were _normal_. Perhaps the boy was still salvageable.

Still, the boy had put in a lot of effort into planning the date, and he personally felt that the Amano girl would enjoy it, company be damned. It was almost endearing to see the boy so genuinely excited and happy for the weekend to come, and not having to listen to his more lewd thoughts was a major upside to this recent development.

He supposed that justified a response.

"Try the park," he suggested.

"The park?" Issei repeated, "I suppose nobody really goes there in the evening-"

He frowned, _he did._

"-and it is kinda pretty..."

Slowly, a smile crept along Issei's face, and the lovesick boy gave him the toothiest and flashiest grin he'd seen in a long time.

"Thanks Arisato-san! I knew you were a nice guy!"

He blinked at that comment. A nice guy? He didn't really know how to respond so he didn't, opting to focus on the worksheet on his desk instead. Inside, he smiled. For all his flaws, Issei had _something_ going for him.

"By the way, Arisato-san, do you think I have a chance of … you know… getting laid?"

… Maybe not.

* * *

 _Persona_

When he remembered that particular word, his world had shaken.

He had sunk to the floor, clutching his head in agony, as the word kept banging on his mind.

 _PersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersonaPersona_

" _I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I come..."_

 _Persona_

" _Call for us, Minato!"_

 _Persona_

"Per…son…a!"

…

Nothing happened.

He was certain something was supposed to, but nothing did. The word was stuck in his head, but he had no idea what it meant. It was something close to him, he was certain – the word had rolled off his tongue so easily.

He had searched it up the moment he recovered.

Persona:

1\. a person.

2\. personae,the characters in a play, novel, etc.

3\. the narrator of or a character in a literary work, sometimes identifiedwith the author.

4\. the mask or façade presented tosatisfy the demands of the situation or the environment and not representing the inner personality of the individual; the publicpersonality

5.a person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor, or celebrity; personal image; public role.

…

That was pretty useless.

But this was it, he knew. This word contained the key to the rest of his memories. He was certain of it. Perhaps he was currently a mask, a fake, a _persona._

Whatever the case, he would know the truth soon enough.

For now though, as he stared into the empty contents of his refrigerator, it seemed he would need to replenish his food.

That meant going to the supermarket across the park.

As he looked at his phone while walking back, he realized it was Sunday evening, the supposed end time of Issei's date. He wondered how it went, and if the girl had ditched him the first chance she got.

Then he realized, he could go and see for himself. After all, he had to cross the park to get home.

He felt like a busybody, that he was poking his nose into business that clearly wasn't his. But his curiosity got the better of him and he picked up his pace in search of the water fountain Issei had deemed to be the endpoint of the date.

In his defense, the park had been _his_ idea. He just wanted to know how it turned out.

That's when he heard the scream.

Without a doubt, the cry for help was Issei's – he'd heard it enough times in school when the boy had gotten caught peeping to recognize it.

Issei was here, and he needed _help_.

Instantaneously, he dropped his bags, running towards the origin of the cry.

 _Please be alright Issei._

He was fast, much faster than any ordinary human, but right now, every second felt like a minute, and the fear within his heart kept growing as the evening continued to grow darker.

He could feel his legs starting to tire when he first saw the fountain through the trees and bushes, and he was about to call out for Issei's name when he saw the _wings_.

They were floating in the air, massive and black, made of feathers that ruffled in the cool night breeze. Wings that shouldn't exist.

" _Fallen"_ voices seemed to sneer in his head, but he paid them no attention, because he saw who the wings were attached to.

With a start, he recognized her. The long black hair, violet eyes and the flawless skin.

She looked taller, and her school uniform was replaced with scarce pieces of leather straps that covered only the most scandalous regions, but he was certain.

Amano Yuma was floating in the air.

Slowly, his gaze lowered from the flying figure to what she was staring at, and his blood froze.

 _Issei._

He was there, lying against the fountain, some kind of light shaft piercing through his chest. But it was the blood that made him come to terms with reality. It was everywhere: surrounding the boy, on his clothes, and splattered onto the fountain and the water within.

One look at the morbid scene, and he knew immediately that the light spear had pierced through and incinerated his entire chest cavity. There was a pang of sorrow, and he knew his classmate – no, his friend, was gone.

His nude sketches, perverted monologues, dreams of becoming a harem king.

Gone. Just like him. There would be no Hyoudou Issei sitting next to him tomorrow.

There was no chance of survival.

He watched as the spear protruding out of Issei disintegrate in glitter of light, and as Amano Yuma descended from the sky in front of the corpse.

He almost lost it when she placed her boot on his face.

" _Call for us."_

He could feel the rage building up within him, and something within the deepest recesses of his mind _clicked._ This _thing_ , Amano Yuma had killed the closest thing to a friend he had. His hands tightened into fists, and his gritted teeth were started to hurt. His breathing began to pick up as he prepared to do… well, something.

She would _pay._

Then, she turned to face his direction.

And smiled.

Then any semblance of his earlier fury was replaced with fear.

His survival instincts kicked in, and he immediately started running in the opposite direction.

He recognized that smile. It was the smile a predator had when it found a new prey.

He was that prey.

It was fight or flight, and he knew he could stand no chance against the winged _thing_. He was an ordinary human, and supernatural beings like Amano Yuma had the natural advantage.

He hated it, but he needed to run. Someone needed to know what happened to Issei, and no one would know if the sole witness was dead.

The adrenaline was pumping through him, and he ran so fast towards his apartment he swore he was getting tunnel vision.

He was only semi-aware of the honking of cars and the yells of people as he dashed across the road that lay right next to his apartment.

He kicked the complex doors open, and took the steps three at the time, and with each turn, he made sure to turn behind, worried that some winged beast would come chasing him.

When he reached his door, he fumbled for his keys before jamming them into the keyhole, twisting them while pulling his door open at the same time.

As he slammed his door shut, he sighed.

 _He'd made it._

He leaned his back on the closed door, slumping to the ground. His thoughts and emotions were in a whirling frenzy as he tried to process what in the world just happened.

 _Issei was lying in a pool of blood, with a light spear jutting out of his chest._

 _Issei was dead._

 _Killed by Amano Yuma, who apparently had wings and strange powers._

His breathing was ragged, and his heart pounding.

What had he just seen? And what had he just gotten himself into?

"Do you _honestly_ think that I'll let you go so easy now, little human?"

He froze. He didn't recognize the voice, but it was filled with a sadistic pleasure, and there was only one person- thing he could match it to.

 _How._

Slowly, his shivering hand reached up to flick on the light switch next to the door, and his blood curled when he processed what he saw.

Standing in his living room was Amano Yuma, and a light spear ignited in her hand.

"Welcome home." A sadistic smile spread across her face.

He didn't even have time to scream before the scene of her unfurling wings was followed by a bright flash of light and pain.

Then everything went black.

* * *

 _Where was he?_

If he had to describe the place he was in, it was like he standing in the middle of a nebula. A myriad of colors surrounded him – bright swirls shifting and spinning all around him. There was no ground, but he was not falling.

"You died fast."

He turned around at the familiar voice.

"Red," he greeted. Then he looked down at himself. He was naked, but otherwise his body was fine. "I'm dead? Did that Amano Yuma girl kill me?"

"Yes. She stabbed your heart clean through with a light spear."

"Is this the Afterlife?"

The teen shook its head. "Nope. People like you don't get to the Afterlife when they die."

"Why not?"

It shrugged. "Because people like you aren't supposed to exist in this world. Your souls aren't returned to the afterlife, they kinda just… drift around, I guess? Until they fade of course, but that can take a while."

"So that's it? I die after one week? And just _drift around_?" He was getting angry. What was the whole point then? All the mystery, the memory-wiping, the exposure to the supernatural… All so he could die in a week?

"Hrmmm… normally that'll be the case," Red said, but bared its teeth at him in the strange grin it had, "But I told you before didn't I? You're _special_. Something as trivial as having your heart burnt to bits isn't enough to kill you. _They_ won't allow it."

He frowned. "Who are _they_?" And then he continued angrily, "and what is Amano Yuma, what kind of world is this? What exactly are _you_ and why am I even here?"

Red looked annoyed. "That's a lot of questions. The answers you seek, some of them at least, can be found in the church. We're out of time, you are waking up soon."

He wanted to yell out in rage, tired of the perpetual shroud of mystery surround his life, but everything faded to darkness and no sound came out of his mouth when he tried.

In a small apartment complex in Kuoh City, a dead man opened his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

The first thing that hit him was the smell, and he crinkled his nose at the revolting stench.

It reeked as though something had _died_ in here.

Then, he looked down, and his look of repulsion turned into one of surprise.

Why was there a hole in his shirt?

And why was he surrounded in dried blood?

As he studied the burn marks marking the edge of the hole in shirt, he remembered.

 _He'd_ died in here _._

The black wings, the light spear hurtling towards his chest.

Amano Yuuma.

 _Issei._

He winced as the scene of the boy's death appeared in his mind again and another pang of sorrow hit him.

Issei didn't deserve that. No one did. To have his life cut short because some higher power decided so… He clenched his fists… That was something he could never agree with. He wanted to know why. What wrong had Issei done to earn such a fate.

So many questions he needed answers to. Red had said to go to the church. He didn't trust the entity, but for now, he had no other leads. So the church it was.

But first, he needed to shower and change his clothes.

* * *

When the doors of the Church slammed open, Raynare was surprised. She'd expected the Longinus boy, Issei to show up, sprouting some heroic nonsense of justice and kindness, to take the nun back. Which would end in complete failure, because the nun was already _dead_ , her body crucified on a cross standing at the altar.

Instead, she found another boy she'd already friggin' _killed_ as well waltzing into her territory.

Why was everyone she was killing _coming back to life?_

"You." She ground out. "Don't tell me you turned into a Devil as well?"

Around her, the other Fallen looked up in mild curiosity at the blue-haired guest – she hadn't told them about this one, it seemed unnecessary at the time. How was she supposed to know he was going to come back?

"No. I did not." The boy looked confused, before an expression of anger took over when he saw the body hanging on the cross. "At least… I do not think I did."

"Then… How are you _alive_ again?"

This time, the blue-haired boy did not respond, merely shrugging as he took one step after another towards the altar of the church.

She did not do anything, ordering the other Fallen to do the same. They watched in curiosity as the boy removed the restraints binding the dead nun from the cross, before gently laying her onto the ground.

How curious, the cross did not seem to burn the boy when he touched it. Clearly, he was no Devil… so how was he still alive? Did she really miss his chest? Impossible, there had been so much blood, he definitely died.

"She is dead." He said.

"Yes." She replied.

"Did you kill her as well?" He asked.

"Yes." She said again, though much more immediate than before.

There was a momentary silence as the boy closed the nun's eyes, before leveling a stare right at her, and she suddenly felt the need to raise her guard. A light speared blazed to life in her hand, prompting Kalawarner and the others to do the same.

"You should stop doing that," the boy warned, "killing humans."

She resisted the urge to laugh, "are you _threatening_ me?"

"Maybe," the boy shrugged, and paused for a moment to think about what he wanted to say next. Staring straight into Raynare's eyes unflinchingly, he asked, "why did you kill Issei?"

"He was born with something he shouldn't have. Same with the nun, so both had to die."

"That's not a very good reason," he said, but this time she could hear the agitation in his voice.

"I don't need a good reason," she yawned, "I kill humans when I feel like killing them."

"Someone will stop you one day, and you'll pay for what you did."

This time she did laugh, "And who is that someone going to be, you?"

The boy looked unsure, "maybe."

She cocked her head at him and smiled. "Then I'll have to kill you now, won't I?"

He looked up to her and she flinched.

In her experience, in the face of death, there were three kinds of people.

The first was the most common, those who were afraid of dying. There would be desperation in their eyes, and their fear could be seen by how their whole body trembled. Some would wet themselves, others would desperately try to run away to escape their death. The boy had been like this the first time. She liked these kinds of people, they made killing fun.

She didn't like killing the second type of person: those that accepted death. Those that would sink to their knees and place their necks on the chopping board themselves. That took away all the fun from killing, there was no hunt, no thrill, only the act, which brought little satisfaction. They got boring fast.

The third kind was the rarest, those that could look death in the eye and still stand undaunted. They would hold their ground, unflinching and undeterred. They always had the same eyes, that defiant gaze that simply said _bring it on_.

The exact same pair of eyes she was staring at right now.

In an instant, a spear of light exploded to life in her palms, and in the next instant it was sent hurtling into the air, straight into the boy.

She hated the third kind.

* * *

A quick leap to the side saved his life. He had seen Amano Yuma tense, and instinctively dodged to the side. He looked at his original position, at the spear of light that was buried into the ground. It vanished, dissipating into many golden flakes.

"He's pretty agile," noted one of the Amano's companions, a man wearing a trench coat and hat.

"How about you shut up and help me kill him," snapped Amano.

A small blond girl who had sat unnoticed on one of the benches got up, and began to stretch. A wicked grin appeared on her lips. "Finally, I've been so _bored_."

Minato took a few steps back as the other two, the man and a provocatively dressed woman began to get to their feet as well. Things were looking bad. Escaping was not an option. If all of them were like Amano and had those black wings with the ability to fly, he would be stopped before he could even reach the doors.

Either way, thinking about his last encounter with her, he would most likely die tonight.

Then again, he'd probably come back to life anyway, right? But still, dying was painful and he'd rather avoid that.

His thoughts were interrupted by the flying shafts of light that screamed past him.

"Oi oi, are you gonna stand there all day? It gets boring, you know if you don't put up a fight, or at least try to run away." From the air, suspended with a raven pair of feathered wings, the man looked annoyed. "But if you want a fast and quick death, I don't mind, either. This is all so troublesome, anyway."

Minato grit his teeth. This was all Red's fault. That thing had to have known that there were four of Amano-like creatures lurking in the Church. Stupid thing had sent him to his death instead of answering his questions. Speaking of which…

"Can I ask…," he posed to them while dodging their spears, "what are you guys?"

There was a pause as all four of them stopped their assault and looked at him curiously.

"Can't you tell? The black wings, the light spears…" Probed the man, and upon seeing his confused look, "you know… Fallen Angels?"

He shook his head. At least now he knew what they were.

"I thought you died and managed to revive yourself. Clearly you are part of the supernatural world, are you not?" Asked the small blond girl.

"I don't actually know how I came back to life… And no, I was not aware of the supernatural world until I was killed by _her_." He pointed to Amano Yuma.

Next to her, the other black-haired woman had a thoughtful look on her face. "Perhaps he has a Sacred Gear that only recently awakened?"

Amano Yuma shook her head. "No, I checked. I detected no energy from him. He's a regular human, at least physically."

"Maybe we should ask one of the higher-ups? Like Kokabiel or even Azazel-sama. They might know what's wrong with him…"Wondered the man again, but a look of realization dawned on his face, "but that means we got to bring you to them alive. That's even more troublesome. Then again, if we kill you, maybe you'll revive just in time for them to study you?"

He didn't like where the conversation was going.

"Either way," Amano ignited a light spear in one hand, "We've still got to deal with you."

He needed a plan, and a good one, fast.

Five minutes later, when he was still plan-less but somehow still alive, he realized they were just toying with him. They taunted him, throwing their spears just slow enough that he could dodge and run. He was tiring, and he still had no clue what he could do.

"How'd you know we were in the church anyway, if you didn't even know we were Fallen Angels?" asked Amano in the air lazily, throwing another spear at him.

Leaping to the side, he replied, "erm… a friend told me? Said the answers I was looking for would be at the church. He didn't say you would be here though."

Amano snorted. "Some friend you got. Sent you straight to your death."

"Tell me about it."

This was good, conversations like this would lower their guard.

"Did you at least get your answers?"

"Some of them," he admitted, "but not enough."

Amano laughed, "That's the universe for you, always making sure someway somehow, you're always fucked."

He wanted to disagree, but the universe wanted to prove Amano right. His leg got caught on a step, and he tripped forward. There was searing pain from his leg, causing him to scream in agony. When he looked down, he saw a shaft light pinning his left leg to the ground, before it disintegrated in a yellow shower of sparks.

It wasn't pretty. The heat from the spear had cauterized most of the wound, but there was still a lot of blood pouring out from the whole, he could see his bones, and the scent of burnt flesh tainted his nose.

"Oh whoops. Would you believe me if I said wasn't actually aiming for that to hit you?" Asked the man, who was starting to descend now that their target was immobilized. "Oh well, it was going to happen sooner or later anyway. Might as well get it over and done with."

Like a pack of vultures circling a dying animal, the four of them hovered over him.

"What should we do?" asked the small blonde one, "capture him alive or just kill him?"

Tapping her chin, Amano Yuma thought about it for a while. "How about we kill him, and we see if he revives, you know, to make sure it wasn't just a onetime thing."

 _Enough is enough._

The words rang out in his mind.

 _It hurts us just to see how pitiful your current state is._

 _We have broken the barrier that separates us from you temporarily._

 _Now allow us to come to your aid._

This wasn't good. He was in shock, and losing too much blood if he was hearing voices now.

 _Hearing voices? Just wait until you see the hallucinations_.

Then he was shoved aside. Not physically, but spiritually. It was an interesting experience to watch your own body from the third-person's perspective.

Wait. Then who was in first-person?

* * *

Raynare was somewhat disappointed. She didn't understand what was going on either. The first time she thought the boy had simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time, so she had killed him. Then when he had come back from the dead, she had immediately assumed that he was someone of significance. But he was not. Aside from his apparent immortality, he was disgustingly human.

She watched him squirm on the floor, his hands clutching his wounded leg, a grimace on his face. All of a sudden, he stopped, and a pair of glazed eyes stared up at her.

Had he passed out from the shock and blood loss?

Her instincts were suddenly screaming at her, and she automatically hurled a light spear at maximum velocity at the prone boy. Around her, the other Fallen had felt something similar, and immediately retreated upwards.

They wouldn't believe what they were seeing.

Lying on the floor, the boy had a fist clenched in front of his face. In that fist was her spear of light, buzzing dangerously before fizzling out of existence.

The boy sat up, and studied the palm that had caught the holy spear. Raynare's eyes widened when she saw that it was unmarred: no burns or cuts.

Impossible.

The only ones immune from the holy effects of the light spears were Angels.

"Who are you? You are not the boy from earlier, you are merely using his body."

"Is it not customary to give your own names before you ask that of others?" The boy spoke, but with a different voice, one far more luscious and eloquent then the one before.

"Raynare." She said.

Around her, the other Fallen did the same.

"Dohnaseek."

"Mittelt."

"Kalawarner."

The boy frowned. "I only recognize the man. You were a Librarian, weren't you? If I remember correctly, your job was to maintain the Heavenly Archives."

Dohnaseek looked surprised, as were the others. "Yes, that was my role."

The boy looked genuinely amused and confused. "How in the name of Heaven did you Fall if you had a job as boring as that?"

"I… gave humans knowledge from the Archive that I should not have given." He admitted.

"Ah," the boy noted. "So you're one of _those_ Fallen. Like Azazel."

"Excuse me?"

"You liked humans too much."

"Ahem," Raynare coughed into her hands. "You seem to know so much of us, but we know nothing of you."

"Oh, pardon me," the boy chuckled, "just an old Angel trying to keep up with the times. There's really no point in me telling you my name, I'm sure it's been forgotten in the annals of history."

Raynare narrowed her eyes. Old Angels were strong Angels. "What is your relationship with the boy, is he your host?"

The being shook his head. "No, the boy is me, and I am the boy. Now, I'm rather fond of this boy and his body," and pointing at his injured leg he said, "and look what you've done."

Sighing, he raised a hand and hovered it over the wound. The Fallen watched in amazement as his palm began to glow with a green mystic energy. Flesh began to grow, blood vessels re-knit themselves together, and pink healthy skin stretched over to cover the wound, making his leg look good as new.

"What. Was. That?" Asked Kalarner.

"Healing magic, my dear." The boy smiled.

"I know that, but how? Only six-winged and higher Angels can use healing magic."

"Perhaps I am an Angel with six-wings or more, then?"

"You're not taking us seriously." Raynare said, unhappy.

The boy cocked his head. "You weren't taking the boy seriously, either."

"I can rectify that." She warned. Immediately, twin spears of light blazed into life and were sent flying at the boy, who stood unmoving and unfazed by them.

"Weak."

With a swing of his hands, both spears were deflected away, embedding themselves into the walls of the church with a _thunk_ before disappearing.

The Fallen stared at him with renewed vigor and determination in their eyes.

"We definitely need to get you to Azazel-sama."

The boy frowned. "I'd rather not. We weren't really on good terms the last time I met."

"Then this will be the perfect opportunity for you to rebuild your bridges." Dohnaseek said, "if you come willingly we won't have to fight at all, and I'm sure Azazel-sama will give you mercy."

Raynare immediately knew Dohnaseek had said something wrong. There was look of malevolence on the boy's face, and he suddenly began to _glow_. Power exuded from his body in waves, and it was so strong that she could feel herself getting pushed back.

"I want to make one thing clear before we settle this."

The boy began to float in the air as the first pair of wings erupted from his back. Pure white wings that put even the most beautiful swans to shame. They were huge, taking up almost the entire width of the church, and bathed the entire chamber with holy light.

"The difference between you and me,"

The second pair of wings burst forth.

"is the same as comparing a matchstick to the Sun."

Then the third.

"Do not _think_ you can even begin to comprehend my power."

Then the fourth.

"By the time we are done,"

Then the fifth, and Raynare began to tremble.

"You will realize that before me…"

And finally, a sixth pair of wings emerged, and Raynare lost any will to fight, and dropped straight to the ground.

"You are _nothing_."

* * *

Issei ran and he ran and he ran.

He had to make it. Asia's life depended on it.

Behind him, Kiba and Koneko looked at each other, surprised at the sheer amount of determination Issei was showing. Their latest teammate was finally demonstrating some promise.

The church was right ahead, but something felt wrong.

It wasn't the silence. They were in an abandoned part of town, it was normal. There was something strange in the air. There was the smell of smoke and fire, but more than that, there was a strange atmosphere around the church that simply repulsed him.

"That's a holy aura, Issei." Kiba told him from the side. "Most churches have them naturally, but it's unusual for it to be that strong, especially since this church has been abandoned for such a long time. We're Devils, so we instinctively feel uncomfortable in the presence of holiness. But don't worry, you will get used to it with time."

He nodded. Running up the stairs to the door three at a time, he stopped right in front of the doors, waiting for Kiba and Koneko to catch up.

At his signal, they charged, and he kicked the door open.

"ASIA!" He shouted. And then he stopped, at a loss for words. So did Kiba and Koneko.

"What…"

Asia was there, lying at altar, but he couldn't tell if she was alive. But she was not the only one. He watched in shock as Arisato Minato, who had been absent the past week from school, lay the body of Amano Yuma – no – Raynare on the ground next to another three prone forms. He realized he recognized two of them – Dohnaseek and Kalawarner. They must have all been Fallen.

What was going on? It looked like there was a giant battle. The furniture was battered, and strewn all over place. The entire interior of the Church was scorched and burnt, as if there was a giant explosion. There were holes in the wall, most likely from light spears. Evidently, the Fallen had been fighting someone, and the only other person here was Arisato-san, who looked none the worse for wear.

Finally, the blue-haired boy noticed his presence, and their eyes met. He watched Arisato-san's eyebrows reach to the top of his hairline.

Arisato-san raised both hands in a placating manner. "I… can explain."

Next to him, Kiba crossed his hands in front of his chest. "Explain then, Mr. Transfer Student."

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Actually… I can't."

"I thought so…" Kiba sighed, and taking out his phone he began to dial, "I'm going to call Rias. Something tells me she's not going to be happy about this."

* * *

 **A/N: SOoooo... tell me your thoughts please? Personally I feel it's _alot_ better in terms of the writing. Plotwise it'll be kind of similar still, so don't worry about that. If you see any errors, do tell me ASAP please. **

**As always, do Read'n'Review, Fav'n'Follow, the next chapt will be up soonnn**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

She would need to punish Issei. Her new pawn was _far_ too reckless. Charging into the enemy headquarters to save a girl he'd only known for one day? Totally irresponsible and shortsighted. She had clearly told him not to do anything rash. Thankfully, Kiba and Koneko were with him, though their involvement might actually worsen things.

On one hand the presence of the more experienced Devils would help keep Issei safe. On the other hand, if the Fallen wanted to, they could manipulate the situation using the Gremory Party to spark a rift between the Fallen and the Devils. Either outcome did not bode well for her.

' _Buchou… Koneko, Issei and I went to the Church behind your back to save Asia. You should come fast. There's er… something we think you should see.'_

From the sounds of it, they hadn't run into trouble, which was surprising in itself. She suspected it was a trap to lure Issei, but Kiba had sounded more confused than he was panicked. No matter, she would find out soon, and Akeno was already on the way.

* * *

He watched as Issei slowly knelt down next to the dead nun, clutching her lifeless hands in his own.

"She's dead…" he mumbled. The ground darkened where tears began fall, and he choked back a sob. "I wasn't fast enough… even though I promised I would help her." His companions, a small white-haired girl and a handsome teen with blond hair, rested their hands on his shoulders, but Issei continued, his voice cracking. "It isn't fair! She was so kind, so innocent! She didn't deserve this! Why?! Why do bad things always happen to good people?"

He had no words for Issei, and moved back to give the boy some space. Issei was heartbroken. The other two looked at him and gave him nods of acknowledgment, which he replied in kind.

The blond one moved away from Issei to talk to him. "Arisato-san, correct? I'm Yuuto Kiba, from the class next to yours."

He nodded. They were all wearing Kuoh's uniform.

Kiba gestured to the surroundings, paying particular attention to the four Fallen unconscious on the ground. "Did you do this?"

He paused, thinking about how to answer. "No," he finally said, "someone else did. The girl was already dead when I came however."

"I see," he nodded, "do you know who did it then?"

"A being with wings. It was white, and made of feathers. He was not here for long, however." Technically, he was telling the truth.

Kiba looked surprised. "An Angel? It is rare for them to descend from Heaven. Though they might feel the need to if they considered the Fallen's actions to be desecration of this holy ground." Scratching his chin, Kiba nodded, "it is possible, I suppose. It would certainly explain the strong holy presence around the building."

By then, Issei had stopped grieving. The look of sorrow was fading away, and replaced by anger. "Kiba-san, _they_ did this, didn't they?" He pointed at the Fallen. "They're the ones that deserve to die. We need to avenge Asia."

Kiba looked unsure, shooting looks at the short girl, who was trying hard to look as neutral as possible.

Minato felt the need to step in. "Issei. They have been judged. They know of their sins. If you harm them, the one at fault here will be you."

Anger flashed in the boy's eyes. "What are you talking about, Arisato-san? Asia is _dead_. They killed her in cold blood! She was just a sweet girl that just wanted to help others. They deserve something worse than death! If we let them be, they could hurt more people in the future!" His fists were clenched, his arms shaking and his breathing was unsteady. The girl's death had taken a large toll on the boy's mental strength.

"Issei," he said gently. "Look at them."

Reluctantly, Issei turned to watch their prone forms. They definitely weren't resting well. Even though they were unconscious, their breathing was too fast and beads of sweat pooled together on their foreheads. Their bodies were marred with bruises and cuts, and their mouths would occasionally mumble something in fear. It looked like they were plagued by nightmares. "They can't hurt anyone right now. To kill someone who is defenseless, that would make you just as guilty as them."

"But it isn't fair," Issei ground out. "We can't just let them be! They need to be punished more than this!"

"Perhaps," he said thoughtfully, "but it is not our place to judge, and we have no right to decide their fate."

Issei had no response to that, and continued to stare at them in silent fury.

"You are unexpectedly mature," said Kiba from the side. "I can see why Issei thinks so highly of you. He was naught with worry when you went missing for a whole week."

Issei's eyes lit up, as if remembering something. "That's right! Arisato-san, what happened to you? You just disappeared without a word! I thought something bad happened to you!"

"Something bad _did_ happen to me," he said.

"Huh?"

"I was in the park when Raynare killed you. She saw me, and even though I tried to escape home, she followed me back. She killed me afterwards." He suddenly stopped.

Wait.

Raynare killed Issei. He had almost forgotten that amidst all the commotion. But Issei was standing here right in front of him.

Alive.

He looked at the three pairs of eyes blinking at him profusely. Three faces remained frozen in a confused state as they tried to take in what he said.

"I do not understand, Arisato-san," Kiba finally said. "You… _died_?"

"That is correct."

"But you're right here!" Issei exclaimed.

"Yes I am."

The girl, who had remained quiet up till now, asked in a soft whisper, "were you reincarnated as a Devil?"

Issei had a look of realization, "oh, Arisato-san! Don't tell me you're just like us now!"

Now he was the one confused. Now that they mentioned it, how _was_ Issei still breathing in front of him?

"I do not understand… I was not reincarnated as a Devil, but is that how you are still alive now?"

Issei nodded vigorously. "That's right! After I died Rias-sempai, I mean Buchou, revived me using magical chess, but I turned into a Devil in the process! Now I'm part of Buchou's Peerage!"

Peerage? Chess? Devil? He didn't understand most of what Issei was talking about. But one thing did stand out to him, which he understood its ramifications immediately.

"Issei. Does that mean Rias Gremory is a Devil as well?"

"Yes! She's from a super important Devil clan too!"

"And she has the ability to revive dead humans into Devils."

"Yes! That's right!"

"So she could theoretically revive the nun?"

"Yes! She…" Issei's eyes lit up, and he could almost hear the gears turning in his head as his words settled in. For the first time in the night, Issei looked genuinely happy. "… could. Buchou could! Kiba! Why didn't we think of that? Buchou's _really_ nice right? She'll revive Asia, won't she? I mean, she has a Sacred Gear like me too! So there's definitely no issue!"

He remembered what Raynare said. _'He was born with something he shouldn't have. Same with the nun…'_ Was this Sacred Gear thing what they were talking about?

Kiba stood there, deep in thought. "Yes… that is definitely a possibility. Right now, our Peerage's capabilities are too focused on offense. We don't have any support-type members. Her healing-based Sacred Gear would definitely come in useful. We also do have a vacancy in the Bishop position. Yes, it would be strategically wise as well to incorporate her into our Peerage."

Issei looked irritated, "We're not in a game, Kiba! Support, offense, who cares? Asia's not some chess piece whose value is in her ability!"

"Issei…" Kiba said solemnly, "…In case you have not noticed, we are _all_ chess pieces. In the end, a Devil's Peerage will participate in Rating Games. We are no different. If she were to be part of Rias Peerage, she would need to play her part as well."

He didn't like what Kiba said. To think of their lives as mere tools or weapons of Gremory, was this the price of their second life?

Issei looked downcast. "But she's so gentle… can't we just let her sit out of Rating Games?"

The blond's features softened. "If it is any comfort, her primary role would be to heal us. I think that is something that she would not mind."

Issei looked relieved. He wanted to say something, but was interrupted by the short girl tugging his sleeve. "Koneko-chan, what is it?"

She pointed at him. "He still hasn't explained how he came back from the dead."

The three looked at him expectantly. "I must admit I am curious. I do not know any other forms of resurrection other than the Evil Pieces," Kiba admitted sheepishly. "But if you wish to keep your abilities to yourself, it is not our place to pry."

"Thank you," he said.

"Wait," said Issei, as though he had a revelation. "Abilities? Arisato-san, you mean you're part of the supernatural world as well?"

He looked at Issei's excited face, and the small grin on Kiba's and the completely neutral face of Koneko.

Scratching his head, he sighed. "I guess I am now."

Issei looked like a kid on Christmas. Then the door slammed open, and the four turned to look at the newcomers.

"Buchou!" Issei cried out.

There stood Rias Gremory, huffing and puffing, one hand still outstretched from shoving the doors open. Her eyes were alert, darting all over the place before settling on the four of them, but focusing on Issei in particular.

She didn't look very happy. In fact, she looked furious. Next to him, he heard Issei gulp.

Behind Rias stood Himejima Akeno, the epitome of elegance. She stood straight, a serene smile on her face, and not a hair out of place.

"Ara ara," she said, eyeing the four Fallen on the ground, "it seems we have missed quite the party here."

* * *

 _A quick punch to the gut sent Dohnaseek crumpling._

 _One kick to the chest later and Mittelt flew like a ragdoll, slamming into the walls with such force that it left behind a crater._

 _She leapt into the air with Kalawarner, light spears drawn and aimed at the winged entity that had wrought so much havoc in mere moments._

 _As one, they launched their spears and all hope was destroyed when they shattered harmlessly against his skin._

 _He laughed, and his smooth voice sounded sinister and mocking._

" _It is futile. Nothing you do will even scratch me. Come to the ground, it will hurt much less if you were kneel before me."_

 _They shared a look and nodded. Even though they knew the winner was already decided, they would not go down without a fight. Their pride would not let them._

" _No? Very well then. Do not say I did not warn you."_

 _It raised its arm up such that its palm was facing them. Then it began to glow. Light began to absorb into a ball in front of the boy's hand, and with it heat. The rest of the room darkened as energy continued to pour into a vortex, causing the round object to grow from the size of a golf ball until it reached the size of a basketball. By the time it stopped growing, it was as though the boy had plucked the Sun from the sky and was now holding it in his palm. The power radiating from it was incredible, and they had to avert their eyes from it sheer brilliance._

" _What… is that?" Kalawarner marveled in amazement._

" _It is called Creation. 'Let there be Light, and there shall be Light.'" Seeing the shocked look on their faces, he chuckled. "That's right, it's how the Sun was created. This is one of His very own techniques, now marvel at its power."_

 _Raynare knew. This was no ordinary Archangel, not even one of the Seraphim. To use one of Father's abilities… the individuals who could do such a thing could be counted on one hand, and she was certain none were alive today. She backtracked higher into the air, until her back was pressed against the ceiling. She wanted to warn Kalawarner to back off, but she was too slow._

 _Like a bullet, the miniature sun shot off from the boy's hand. Time slowed down as she watched it stop in between them and suddenly start to expand at incredible speeds._

 _Instinctively, she wrapped her wings around herself protectively._

 _Heat. Pain. Burning. Even though she was cocooned within her own wings, the air inside grew scorching hot and her throat felt parched and her eyes dried up. Then the pain hit. As sturdy as they were, an Angel's wings were not indestructible. Agony shot through her entire body. She could feel the waves of heat slapping against her wings, each assault burning off a layer of feathers. She was certain that were it not for the magical and physical resistance of her wings, she would have been burnt to a crisp. She screamed in pain as she felt the flames spread across her feathered appendages. There was no doubt in her mind that her wings would be incapacitated for some time._

 _The pain was unbearable, and she hoped that she would quickly pass out. Anything was better than this. It was like having one's skin slowly being ripped away from their body. Finally the heat died down and whatever concentration that kept her in the sky snapped. Her wings withdrew back into her body but she saw the damaged that had been done. It had almost been stripped bare. Her wings were still black, but instead of the shiny and glossy appearance the feathers gave, it was matte from being burnt, and there were patches of white and red where the wings had been burnt to the bone itself._

 _She fell to the ground, pain shooting up her spine where she landed. Her enhanced body was numb with agony. Slowly, she got herself to her knees, and pressed her palms against the floor to support herself. She couldn't control herself. The smell of burnt flesh, the pain, and the sight of Kalawarner lying motionless on the floor across her. Her wings were in an equally sorry state, but her magical reserves must have been depleted, as they were folding back into her body at a snail's pace. The bile rose up her throat and she let it all out on the floor in front of her, and for a few moments the only sound in the Church was of her retching._

" _I did warn you," the boy said as he began to make his way towards her, "that it was going to hurt."_

 _In her haste to run away, she forgot about her body's weakened state and instead she fell on her bottom and had to rely on her arms behind her back to keep her sitting up straight._

" _Who are you?" She asked, her voice quivering, "if I am to die tonight, I must know your name!"_

 _The boy stopped in his tracks. "You will not die tonight Raynare. I give you my word on that. None of your companions will. Others may disagree, but I find all forms of killing sinful. It is the power to kill that creates Evil, and giving into such power is the first step to corruption."_

 _Internally, she heaved a sigh of relief._

" _But that does not mean you will not be judged. You have killed one of Man and you have sinned. As a child of the Almighty, that is the greatest crime possible. You have spat on the love he gave you, and betrayed the trust he offered you. Other Angels would claim that would warrant death. However, I am the one that will be judging you, and you will suffer a different fate. Some would prefer the other option."_

" _Wait stop," Raynare cried. "Who are you to judge me? What right do you have? You don't know what it's like to be disgraced from Heaven! You don't know what it's like to live on nothing but false hope and pipe dreams! You don't know what it is like to be spat on by the rest of the world and to live aimlessly and devoid of purpose! You sit high in your gilded throne in Heaven, comfortable and indifferent to the plight of those at your feet. You have no right to judge me, for you know NOTHING about being a Fallen!"_

 _The words had exploded out of her mouth. The rant had left her breathing heavily, and her chest was suddenly lifted of an invisible weight. Dread began to fill her veins as she realized what she had just yelled at the Angel. She looked up and to her surprise, the boy did not explode into fury. A small sad smile graced his lips. He knelt in front of her, resting one arm on his knee._

" _Child," she was surprised at his gentle tone. "I know everything there is to know about being a Fallen." A warm hand cupped her face, wiping away the tears that were trickling down without her permission. "I know what it is like to be looked at with disdain in everyone's eyes." She looked at him in disbelief. What was the Angel talking about?_

" _I know what it is like to search endlessly for a path to redemption, only to be shot down at every avenue." With every word, one of the Angel's wings turned a hue darker._

" _I know what it is like to have bitterness, hate and anger gripping your heart." Her eyes widened when she realized his right wing was now completely raven black. Just like hers moments ago._

" _And I know what it's like to sink even deeper into the dark abyss and give up any hope of ever returning to the light." Her breathing stopped, stuck in her throat at what she saw. Her hands began to tremble, and she raised a shaking finger at the being's wings._

" _Your wing…" she mumbled. "It's…"_

" _That's right. It's a Devil's wing." The entity was right. Gone were the feathers, instead replaced with the unmistakable black leathery skin that only Devils had._

"… _What are you?"_

" _Right now, my soul is still an Angel, but if you would like, I could introduce to you my Fallen and Devil counterparts. However, they are not as merciful and kind as me, and you would most likely die in an instant."_

 _She shook her head. And something clicked._

" _You're…"_

 _He smiled. "That is correct."_

 _The being took a few steps back, standing straight before bowing. When he spoke, a golden light began to surround him, bathing the church with a warm golden light as both wings returned to their pristine white state._

" _I am the firstborn of the Almighty,_

 _Created with all his Heart and Soul._

 _I am the Shining one, the Bearer of Light,_

 _the first and strongest child of Heaven._

 _I am the First of the Fallen,_

 _Harbinger of sin and despair._

 _I am the traitorous Prince,_

 _Who usurped the title of Satan himself._

 _I am Lucifer, the Morning Star,_

 _And I have come forth to deliver divine judgement."_

 _Impossible. Everything he just claimed and did was impossible. Lucifer was dead, slain in the Great War. He could not be in the child in front of her. But who else could so easily transition between Angel, Fallen and Devil? And there was another impossibility. There was no 'Un-Falling', no rewind button. It was impossible to go back. She knew this because she had tried so hard and she had failed. So had Azazel and all the others._

 _She was so caught up with her thoughts she did not notice him coming towards her until it was too late. She could only gasp in terror when a hand, with its fingers curled, sunk into her chest. Her body froze, refusing to obey her commands for it to shirk away. She realized there was no pain, no blood, only a strange tickling sensation. Too late, she realized what he was doing was spiritual rather than physical._

" _What are you doing?" She asked softly._

" _Administering your judgement," he replied. Suddenly he stopped and raised his eyebrows. Slowly he pulled his hand out of her chest. This time however, there was something in it._

" _What is this?"_

 _She inhaled deeply when she saw it. "The nun's Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing. I extracted it from her and placed it in myself."_

 _He furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the pair of silver rings in his palms. As though noticing his attention, the gems embedded in them begin to shine and glimmer slightly. "And what did you hope to achieve with such a deplorable act?"_

 _She winced at his words. "I… wanted to become stronger. I was sick and tired of always being at the bottom. I wanted to show the world that the Fallen could do something others could not."_

" _You are very lucky that I found this. Had I not, your punishment would have become permanent, instead of temporary," he said._

 _She cocked her head in confusion. "… I do not understand."_

" _Sacred Gears bond to human souls, or at least human aspects of the soul. There is nothing human about your soul. Had you kept this in your body permanently, your soul would have mutated, casting away its Angel aspects and transforming into a purely human one. In other words, you would have lost all your Angel traits and became an ordinary human."_

 _She was stunned into silence. She bowed her head down, her hand grasping at the dirt and teeth clenched in her mouth. So she'd failed again. She just wanted to show the world she was something and someone, not some random Fallen that was unworthy of their attention. All that planning and effort to acquire the device, and yet she'd failed again. She was so pathetic she hated herself._

" _If it is acknowledgement and strength you seek, there are no shortcuts. Either you are born with it, or if you were not, you have to fight for it. Bleed for it. Earn it. Borrowed power will always eventually be returned."_

" _It doesn't matter anymore. I give up."_

" _Don't."_

 _She looked up in surprise. The boy looked at eyes that were far too kind and far too ancient. She felt so insignificant in his gaze._

" _Beings like us, we are blessed with time. With our near immortal lifespans, time is our best resource. With time and effort, you can achieve anything. Look at the humans. Their lives are barely a blink of an eye to us, yet they try so hard. Sure, they fail most of the time, but it is their successes that matter. Look at what they've accomplished, and you cannot help but marvel in awe. Some aspects of their society even put ours to shame. We are in no way inferior to them, and if they are willing to devote their whole lives in the search of progress, the least we can do is to at least outlast them in our efforts. Anything else would be to bring shame to our natural superiority."_

 _She didn't know what to do but laugh. "I've never thought about it that way before. But where do I even begin?"_

 _The boy gave her a hard look. "If I were you, I would begin by trying to regain my powers."_

" _Wait. What do you mean regain?"_

" _I told you, did I not? That you were spared from a permanent punishment. But punishment was still delivered, albeit a temporary one."_

" _Stop. Don't tell me…" Desperately, she tried to project a light spear. Nothing happened. She tried to call on her wings, as damaged as they were. Nothing happened. She dived deep into her soul, trying to draw even a single drop of magical power._

 _Nothing happened._

" _That is right Raynare," said the boy as he walked towards the dead nun. Slipping the rings onto her cold fingers, he watched as they vanished, disappearing back into the empty vessel. "I have judged you worthy of a second chance, but there is a price to pay."_

" _No, stop. You can't do this to me! It isn't fair!"_

" _I can and I have. Rest assured, your comrades will share the same fate as you. Until I have ascertained that you have truly devoted your lives to returning to the Light, your powers no longer belong to you."_

Raynare's eye bolted open and she immediately sat up on her bed. For a few moments as she tried to calm herself down, all she could hear was her banging heart and heavy breathing.

Just a dream, she told herself.

As she calmed down, she began to register other things. The soft hum of air-condition. The sharp smell of antiseptic. And the strange curtain surrounding her bed.

With a start, she realized she was not in the church anymore. She looked down and did a double take. Gone was her usual outfit, instead she was dressed in Kuoh's uniform.

No. It couldn't be. Hesistantly, she raised her arm. Pumping magical energy into she tried to create anything. A spear, a sphere, even a spark. She felt her frustration grow at her failure. It was impossible. The events at the church had to be a dream. They had to be…

Her arm fell limply to her side. They had to be…

The tears began to fall. What was she now? She didn't have her wings. She didn't have her magic. She couldn't call herself an Angel anymore. But there was no way she would ever sink so low to call herself _human_.

Her heart sank, and she only began to get more upset. Why? Why did this have to happen her? She was only trying her best, doing what she was told to do, trying to earn the acknowledgement of those better than her. SO WHY?

She screamed.

A mop of red hair stuck her head in.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! The others are still resting!" The face whispered, a finger on her lips.

Her mouth snapped shut.

For a moment, green eyes stared into violet ones.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Spat Raynare.

Rias Gremory looked nonplussed.

"Well, this is _my_ school, and that is _my_ infirmary bed you are lying on, so I think I can come here. A thank you would be nice too, for giving you such a comfy place to recuperate on. I wanted to kill you, you know. You can thank Arisato-san for pleading your case."

Raynare kept quiet. In the past, her anger would have snapped at the blatant disrespect. However, with her powers gone, she was all bark and no bite – and that kept her tongue.

The look of surprise on the Gremory heiress face told her she expected some kind of snappy comeback. Fallen, after all, were a prideful group.

A moment of awkwardness later, she asked, "Who is Arisato?"

"Huh?" Rias cocked her head in confusion. "What are you talking about? He was in the Church with you. You know the boy with the long blue hair? He's at home now resting, but-"

"-Stop," cut off Raynare, not wanting to hear anymore of the entity that had landed her in such a sorry state. The experience with him, while brief, had been traumatizing. So now she knew his name, but it did not help her predicament. Even now, she had trouble believing her memories. Her missing powers could be considered evidence, but not solid enough. It could have been a hallucination under the stress, or he could have tampered with her memories. Either scenario seemed more possible than the revival of the Lucifer himself.

"… Are you alright? You seem pale," asked Rias, genuinely concerned, "I heard that an Angel came down and you fought him. Kiba said you were all badly injured and that Arisato-san helped to pick up the pieces. I can understand if you're upset or stressed. Just to let you know, your three friends are still alive and resting in the other beds." She started gesturing beyond the curtains.

Raynare scoffed internally. Clearly the Devils had no idea what happened, and she wasn't going to enlighten them. She'd let them continue mixing with the Arisato boy and one day it would blow up in their faces.

Rias finally pushed herself through the curtain and made herself at home, sitting on the side of her bed. Looking straight at her, she asked seriously, "Can I ask you why you did what you did? With Issei and Asia?"

Raynare looked at her funnily, and Rias' cheeks turned a little red. "It's not that I wanted to ask you this! But it's just Arisato-san told me that I should try hearing things from your perspective before I let my emotions get the better of me…"

Again, the Arisato boy. Still, she thought about the question. Simply put, Kokabiel had asked her to, but she knew deep down that she was more than willing to do it too.

Fine, she would humour the Devil with a response. The Devil had spared her life. Answering a few questions seemed like a fair enough exchange.

"I killed Issei because I didn't want you to have him." Rias looked up in surprise at her blunt words. "I'd been observing the Sacred Gear hosts in Kuoh, that was my job. I noticed your interest in him, and I knew what you were planning. Sacred Gears are gifts from God himself. To see them in the hands of Devils, perverted away from their original purposes, it enraged me. So I decided that I couldn't let him fall into your hands, and killing him was the only option. I simply didn't expect you to react so fast and resurrect him."

She saw the knuckles of Rias grow white at how hard she clenching them. "I see…" Rias said, her anger barely restrained, "and Asia?"

"She was unworthy of Twilight Healing. Blessed by God himself, the blasphemer had the audacity to heal a _Devil_. To use God's own gift to heal those that opposed him, I was furious! I felt that Twilight Healing would have been better off in someone else's hands, so I killed her to take it for myself."

Rias narrowed her eyes, "but the Sacred Gear is still with her right now."

Raynare blinked in surprise. "You resurrected her as well? Typical. The angel took it from me and placed it back in her."

After pondering for moment, Rias looked up. "That is very advanced magic… I don't suppose you are willing to tell me who the Angel was?"

No, she was not willing. "My apologies, but I did not recognize him." She smiled sweetly, but Rias didn't buy it for a moment, if her frown was any indication.

"It is ironic, don't you think? You killed them both because you did not want them to fall into Devil hands and because you found them unworthy. Yet, here they are, both alive and in my Peerage. In fact, Heaven itself had decreed Asia to be a more worthy host than you for Twilight Healing. It is your acts that brought your worst fears into reality, I hope you realize that."

"I simply did what I felt needed to be done."

"But it didn't need to. I speak the truth when I say that I would have asked them both to join my Peerage. However, I would have told them upfront that 'no' is always an option, and I wouldn't pressure them into joining in the slightest. I do not believe in taking away people's ability to choose their own fates," at this, the redhead sounded particularly bitter, "but it seems that the one who stole their ability to decide for themselves is you, Fallen."

Raynare was speechless.

Rias stood up and straightened her uniform, and began to walk away. "Well, that's all I wanted to talk about, and I am surprised at how cooperative you were. Thank you for that, I suppose. I suggest you stay here and wait, someone will come to pick you up soon."

She grit her teeth. She could tell Rias was looking down on her, like an adult would a child.

"By the way," added Rias, "even I could sense the obvious lack of magical energy coming from the four of you, so if any of you decides to escape, I can promise you that you won't get very far." With that, she heard the door click shut and silence was left in the room.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to just release all the pent-up desperation and rage that was built up in her. But doing all of that would solve nothing. There was only one person who could help her right now, and according to Rias, he was at home resting.

* * *

Azazel struggled to keep his pace up with the Satan Lucifer's. The redhead in all his ceremonial armor and robes was moving at a near-running pace, and Azazel was left to catch up in his wake.

Not that he minded. Just as how he was certain the Lucifer was worried for his younger sister, all he could think about were his subordinates. Their mission had been simple. Raynare and her team were to simply observe the Sacred Gear users in Kuoh, and not interfere unless lives were at stake. With Sacred Gear users around the world vanishing without a trace, he found it prudent to protect those that were detected early as hosts.

So what had happened for them to have gone directly against his orders? He had a sneaking suspicion in the back of his mind, but until he heard it directly from the four of them, that was all it was – a suspicion.

They quickly reached the infirmary, where Rias Gremory was waiting. Clearly, Sirzechs had the entire layout of the school memorized, God knew why. He could tell it was Sirzech's sister from the way the Satan broke out into a sprint. The same-coloured hair helped as well. Her eyes widened in surprise at the two of them.

"Onii-sama! What are you doing here so fast? I only sent you the message this morning!"

"Exactly Rias! What were you thinking?" Sirzechs exclaimed in the voice reserved only for his sister. Clamping his arms down on Rias shoulders, he shook her before embracing her tightly, his face a comical mix of panic and relief. "You _only_ sent me the message _this morning_ when it happened _last night_! How could you wait _twelve hours_ before informing me of something so serious? What if something happened between then and now? What would I do if my darling little sister was hurt?"

Wriggling out of her brother's hug, Rias pushed him away. "Relax Onii-sama! It turned out to be alright, and everything is under control."

"Is that so," Sirzechs questioned. "Did anybody die?"

"Yes…" Rias stammered, "but Asia's alive now, so it's fine!"

Sirzechs looked unconvinced. "Were you aware of the events as they were happening and did you act accordingly to address the issue?"

"No… I only found out after everything was over, but my Peerage handled it, so that counts right?"

"Did you take steps to ensure such a situation would not occur in the future?"

"Er… kind of?"

Sirzechs crossed his arms in front of his chest and began drumming his fingers against his elbow. "Explain."

"Well, I haven't really confirmed it but I think the Fallen had their powers sealed; I can't detect any form of magical power from them. According to Arisato-san, an Angel descended and did this to them."

"Stop." This was the first time Azazel spoke to the younger Gremory. "What do you mean sealed? And what Angel?"

Rias bit her lips. "I really can't tell you much. I only know what my Peerage told me. The rest you'll have to ask the Fallen themselves, though they don't seem to be mentally sound right now. Or," she said as an afterthought, "you can try asking Arisato-san."

"Who is this Arisato-san?" He inquired.

"He's Issei's classmate. Issei said that he has supernatural powers, and that he's crossed paths with the Fallen before. He was trying to find them and was at the scene when the Angel appeared."

"I see… thank you." He stored away that piece of information for later. The presence of Angels complicated things, and he would need every scrap of information he could find.

As if mirroring his thoughts, Sirzechs mused out loud, "man, if I knew Angels were going to be involved as well, I would have invited Michael here."

Azazel laughed. "It would be funny, wouldn't it? If the first time in centuries the leaders of all three Factions met in person in a high school of all places."

"Yes, it would," agreed Sirzechs, and upon seeing his sister's bewildered look, he looked concerned. "Rias, is something wrong?"

She raised a shaking finger and pointed it at Azazel, and in a high-pitched voice, she spluttered out, "All _three_ Factions? You mean this man is…"

Azazel stroked his goatee and struck a pose. "My apologies, young Gremory, for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Azazel, the Governor General of the Grigori. Nice to meet you. Could you please direct me to my four problem children, please?"

Rias shot her brother a look of uncertainty. Seeing his nod, she gulped and proceeded to open the door behind her. "Yea… sure, right this way, Azazel-san…"

* * *

 **A/N:** New chapter! not very long and exciting, but it needed to be done, I suppose. Anyway surprise! The Angel wasn't Metatron! Anyway, do leave behind or message me your thoughts and opinions as usual, and please help point out any mistakes that I made pl0x!

On a side not, I was thinking about getting a Beta-reader, would anyone here volunteer? To be honest, I've never done this sort of thing before, and I have no idea how Beta-reading on FF works. Please do enlighten me. XOXO


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Couple of BIG announcements below, so please do read them after you're done!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:**

Azazel may have found the situation amusing if the circumstances were different. People had _died_. And come back to life afterwards, but that was beside the point. His hosts had graciously lent him an empty classroom for his purposes, and now he sat across his four wayward Fallen. He supposed the setting was appropriate, for they behaved similar to guilty children being confronted by a cross teacher. They averted his gaze, fidgeted in their seats and constantly rubbed their hands together. He supposed it was a good sign, for at least they knew they were in the wrong.

"So," he said, breaking the silence and immediately attracting the attention of all four of them, "tell me what happened."

They looked at each other, unsure.

"Sirzechs has told me the gist of things, but I'd rather hear it from your own mouths." He tried to coax them into relaxing, "you can trust me, you know I see you as my own children. I promise I won't get mad."

It was sad, but it was true. After they Fell, many Angels became aimless, discontented and uncontrolled. That was why he created the Grigori, to create some sense of organisation and identity for the Fallen. He took them in, renewing their sense of identity and belonging. He enjoyed likening himself to a foster father of sorts to all the Fallen.

Then came the Great War. Heaven had God and the Devils had their Four Satans. The Fallen weren't supposed to stand a chance when their leader was merely a Fallen Seraphim. But they had held their ground, defiant. Where the Angels used their numbers and the Devils had used their firepower, the Fallen had used their cunning. They did not have an Angel's honor, nor a Devil's pride, and Azazel had resorted to every dirty trick in and out of the book to lead them to victory. He did not like it, but he did what he had to to ensure their survival.

That only elevated the Fallen's view of him, and their feelings towards him only rose to a higher pedestal. He was not embarrassed to say that many of the Fallen saw him as a father-figure, someone to look towards when things got tough. To some, he was God. And he was proud of what he had done. He had transformed a chaotic and drifting race into something that matched Heaven and the Underworld. And that was why he knew Raynare and the rest would eventually tell him, simply because they had no one else to tell.

Raynare took a deep breath. "A few weeks ago, Kokabiel came to us. He told us our orders had changed, and that we were to eliminate all Sacred Gear users in the city."

Azazel resisted the urge to snarl – he had given no such instruction.

Kokabiel. He had always been a lone wolf, but his defiance had taken a turn for the worse in recent years. He halted communications and disappeared off to God-knows-where. If that weren't troubling enough, the twenty thousand Fallen under his command had vanished without a trace as well. He had half a mind to excommunicate him from the Grigori right there and then, but held his hand out of pure goodwill.

"Azazel-sama?" Raynare asked timidly. He realised he was scowling, and that had frightened his subordinates into silence. He put on a fake smile and gestured for her to continue speaking. "It was nothing, just reminded of a bad memory. Please, go on."

And she did. She told him everything. From killing Hyoudou Issei and his classmate, Issei's subsequent revival and even how she extracted the Sacred Gear from Asia.

"The machine worked?" He asked, surprised. The missing Sacred Gear Extractor had been pushed into the background of his mind with all the recent commotion, but news that it worked somewhat pleased him.

"Yes," Raynare said, "though it kills the user in the process." She wasn't even fazed by her words, as if she were giving a clinical report.

He frowned. He realised long ago the problem with the long lifespan of supernatural beings. It caused them to devalue life. To them, time and life were not luxuries like they were to humans. Outside of war, death was rare, and as time passed, they appreciated living less and less. He too, had once fallen into such complacency, and it had taken the death of God himself to shake him out of his stupor. He would not allow himself to commit such a sin again.

"Well then, it's pointless then," he sighed. "It's useless if the wielder dies afterwards."

They looked surprised. "Azazel-sama? I do not understand. Was it not your intention to have the Sacred Gears removed? A human life is a small price to pay, is it not?" Kalawarner voiced out her confusion.

He shook his head, trying his best to be patient with them. They may have been centuries old, but he was one of the first Angels to be born. "No. The intention was never to acquire the Sacred Gears." Before they could respond, he hushed them with an outstretched palm. "The idea was to separate Sacred Gears from unwilling hosts."

"Unwilling?" Raynare gasped. "But a Sacred Gear is equivalent to God's blessing! Why would anyone be unwilling?"

"Believe it or not, not all humans seek power. Some only want to live normally, and more importantly, die normally. To them, a Sacred Gear is a curse. It burdens them with commitments and knowledge they'd rather live without. They're forced to face threats that would have otherwise left them in peace, and the mantle of defending Mankind is forced upon their shoulders. Hence why I desired to create such a device. I wanted a way to 'transfer' Sacred Gears amongst humans, removing them from those who were unwilling or unfit, and give them instead to the worthy."

There was a quiet moment as the Fallen tried to comprehend his words.

"The nun," Mittelt finally admitted. "I think she was worthy. She was kind, almost to a fault, and few other humans deserved Twilight Healing as much as her."

Azazel nodded in agreement. "From the reports I have seen, perhaps so." But then he shrugged, "but it does not matter now anymore, does it? Even if she was reincarnated into a Devil, the Sacred Gear is no longer bound to her now that you have removed it. Speaking of which, where is it anyway?"

The other three Fallen looked at Raynare accusingly. The colour drained from his face at the implications of such a reaction.

"Raynare… you couldn't have… An Angel cannot wield a Sacred Gear. It will-"

"-Turn me human. I was informed of that." Raynare finished for him.

But who informed her? Sirzechs had mentioned that an Angel had descended and dealt with the Fallen, but they had both been skeptical that Michael would go so far over something so trivial.

The four Fallen exchanged a look amongst themselves, as if they were silently debating over a matter. Dohnaseek finally broke away from the inaudible discussion.

"Lord Azazel. There is something else we have not told you. After we killed the nun, the boy returned."

"The boy?" He clarified, "the Hyoudou boy?"

"No, his classmate, Arisato Minato."

"What? I only heard that Hyoudou Issei was reincarnated. Did another Devil reincarnate him?"

Dohnaseek shook his head. "No. He's still human."

"BULLSHIT!" Snapped Raynare.

Silence descended amongst the five of them, and Azazel realised that he may have stumbled on the most important piece of information in this matter. As if only realising her outburst, Raynare covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. She dropped her head low, and began to mutter slightly incoherently. He strained his ears to catch her words

"You guys saw it, don't lie. We all did. Don't you dare tell me that boy was _human_. After what you saw, after what he _did_? That boy is something else, he showed it to me when you were all knocked out. The impossible. He's…" As if clearing her mind, she shook her head. "Never mind, forget what I said. It's nothing."

There was a painful silence amongst the Fallen. Raynare's words had reminded them of their recent trauma. He could tell from the way they winced and how they clenched their fists. Clearly something was wrong about the boy, and Azazel wanted to know what.

"Tell me _everything_."

And they did. Without hesitation. He knew from the way the flurry of words exploded from Mittelt's mouth that they had been bottling this up, and the relief from being able to release it was evident in their faces.

"He came in suddenly, when we were expecting the Hyoudou boy. We thought he was an ordinary human, so we decided to kill him to prevent knowledge of the supernatural from spreading."

Dohnaseek continued for her as she tried to regain her breath from saying so much so quickly. "But we were playing with him first, you know?" He was calmer than Mittelt, but with every word, his agitation and nervousness grew. "And then I hit him in the leg with a light spear. And then things got _super weird_. The child began to exude this mysterious holy energy, and it was like he became a totally different person. We panicked, and we hurled spears at him to try to kill him immediately. Do you know what he did?"

Dohnaseek's breathing became irregular, quickening with each cycle of breath. He was close to hyperventilating and his ability to recount the events with so much detail was only the result of his experience in Heaven's Archives. Azazel tried to calm him down, and he gently put a hand on the panicking man's shoulders. "No," he said slowly, "but tell me please."

"He _caught_ them. With his _bare hands._ Who does that?" He was hysterical, laughing as he questioned the feasibility of the boy's actions. But Azazel was more troubled by what he heard. Catching light spears barehanded required an extremely high affinity to holiness, and only the Seraphim could be classified with such a trait. Then Dohnaseek's next words took him completely off guard. "Then _twelve white wings_ popped out of his back."

A Seraph? He could feel his jaw drop, and Dohnaseek snapped his fingers and started to giggle. "Snap! Just like that! At first we had a blue-haired high school student. Then BOOM, we have a twelve-winged Angel in front of us!" And then the laughs morphed into tears and he began to sob like a newborn, "do you know how _terrified_ we felt? Even now, I can still remember the power he radiated. It was like standing next to the _Sun itself_. Lord Azazel, have you ever felt so insignificant, so powerless, so _small_ that you question your entire existence?"

Dohnaseek was not looking for a reply, and neither did Azazel feel like giving one. Watching a nine-hundred-year-old Angel reduced to such a state was highly uncomfortable. He did not know how to comfort the man, but luckily Kalawarner did so for him.

Wrapping one arm around the man, she waited for him to calm down before resuming where the he left off.

"Things after that were a blur. The Angel quickly knocked out Mittelt and Dohnaseek. Raynare and I fled to the sky for safety. Then… I do not know how to describe it but… He created a miniature Sun in his hands. He called it Creation"

Azazel felt his stomach drop. He had an idea of what she was talking about, but only because he had seen and experienced it first-hand before. But she had to be wrong, but if she knew what it was called then… He prayed she heard it wrongly.

"He launched it towards us, and it exploded into a giant fireball. It was the hottest thing I had ever felt in my life. I used my wings to protect myself, but they were melted right off. I've never been in so much _pain_. It was so bad," she admitted somewhat abashedly, "that I passed out straight away."

All eyes turned to Raynare, the sole person capable of continuing the story. "I… don't want to." She said. "I can't. I just… can't."

Azazel wondered what things she saw to make her feel this way. It was more than pain, more than utter defeat. Few things could traumatise an Angel to an extent that the mere thought of it caused them to clam up.

"Raynare," he pleaded, pouring all the sincerity and concern he could into his voice, "please. _I_ _have to know._ As much as you can tell me."

There was terror in her eyes, and by looking into them, he could almost see what she experienced. In pain, skin burnt and wings falling apart, he saw the raven-haired Fallen collapsed onto the ground. In front of her, twelve pristine white bird-like wings stretched out from behind a black silhouette.

"He took it out from me. Twilight Healing. He stuck his hand into my very soul and yanked out the Sacred Gear." He froze. That sounded impossible. That an Angel could instinctively do what took him centuries of research and experimentation to _marginally achieve_? He wanted to call it out as a bluff, but he refused to do so, lest Raynare never trust him again. He gave her the benefit of the doubt, and she continued. "And then he put it back in the nun. After that… I think it is better to show you."

Show him what?

The silence was palpable. The Fallen looked at each other and nodded.

"He said it was our judgement, our punishment for the sins we committed."

They were all wearing the Kuoh uniform, which consisted a button-up shirt for both male and female versions. In unison, they began to unclasp the buttons and remove their tops. In any other scenario, the sight of three beautiful women stripping would have made him drool, but something else caught his eye.

"And that we would be forced to live with it until we proved ourselves worthy."

Angels healed fast. It was a biological trait. A good night's of rest would cause almost all wounds to heal without even leaving a scar. That was clearly shown in the four unclothed torsos in front of him. Despite fighting and losing to a twelve-winged Angel, their skins were perfect. They were unmarred, smooth, and supple. Any signs of battle, bruises or burns had long disappeared. Angels were made to be beautiful and beautiful they would remain. There was only one exception, at the skin above their heart. His own heart skipped a beat when he saw it, and he felt all the wind rush out of his lungs.

It was engraved – no etched – into their skins, at the left hand side of their chests. Even on the contour of Raynare's and Kalwarner's large breasts, the branding was unmistakable. A circle, which represented the morning sun. In it, a five-sided star was inscribed. Popular culture would have recognised it as the magical pentagram to summon demons, and they were not entirely wrong. But the mark was once associated with Heaven, and was the symbol of one Angel in particular. The sigils, runes and scribbles that dotted the inside of the mark each represented a virtue said Angel embodied.

The Morning Star.

Raynare swallowed and whispered, as though worried there were others eavesdropping on their conversation, "he called himself Lucifer, and that he had come to deliver divine judgement."

Azazel could feel the blood drain from his face, and cold sweat was trickling down his forehead. His hands shaking without his consent, and for the first time in centuries, he felt _afraid_.

He was familiar with that sign, and even more so with the person that had marked it on his subordinates. He was known today as Lucifer, but back when they were brothers, he had called himself Helel.

* * *

"He did _what_?"

In a completely separate classroom, a certain redheaded Satan stood rooted to the spot, surrounded by the Peerage of his sister, barring Hyoudou Issei, who had trapped himself in the room that Asia was recuperating in.

Rias Gremory could understand his shock. She had reacted the same when Arisato Minato had done what he did.

 _She gave the blue haired boy a curious look, but nothing more. How he was tied up in all this would come to light later, when she spoke to him. For now, she had more important things to do. She had spent a Bishop piece – her last one – on Asia. Said girl was currently unconscious in Issei's arms, her breathing soft but steady. Issei had thanked her profusely, but a stern glare from her had sent him to an immediate apologetic spree. Her gaze had softened immediately. The boy had done no real wrong. She had been too caught up with the possible ramifications of his actions that she had forgotten what was right._

 _Issei had saved a life. More than that, Issei had risked his own life to protect the life of an innocent girl. She would've done the same if someone close to her had been abducted by the Fallen. And because of that, she had chosen not to punish the brown-haired boy, much to his relief. It would've been unfair to scold him for doing something she would have no problems doing herself._

 _But if anyone was to blame, it was the four Fallen, who were conveniently lined up – knocked out – at the antechamber of the Church. She stormed towards them, and her Peerage, sensing her rage, made a path for her. She could tell that something horrible had happened to them. Their bodies were caked with dirt and dried blood. Their once-impeccable skin was tarnished with burns and bruises. Even their sleep was restless, with constant twitches and whimpers._

 _Yet she felt no remorse or pity for them. She saw the wooden cross standing behind them, then turned around to see the rope marks on Asia's wrists and ankles. She knew exactly how her corpse had been meant to be found. Even as a Devil, she found it distasteful. They were irredeemable, corrupt, and unworthy of forgiveness. As one of the administrators of Kuoh, she could not let such felons run amok. The price of their transgressions would be their lives._

 _She raised her hand, and the Power of Destruction roared to life in front of her palm. Her Peerage took several steps back, though none of them looked surprised. Only Issei, who had never seen her bloodline used before, had a look that was part awe and part curiosity._

 _She could feel the destructive sphere's hunger, the need to devour. When her brother taught her the basics of using it, he had once said that the Power of Destruction was a living being. It could not be controlled, only guided, and it would devour endlessly for it had an insatiable appetite. It would consume everything in its path until there was nothing left, or until it was destroyed by its own instability._

 _She let it fly, and smirked unconsciously. To kill two birds with one stone, except now she was getting four of them at once. They would be a problem no more._

 _There was a flash of blue, and the arrogance on her face was immediately replaced with alarm and terror at the scene in front of her._

 _She had completely forgotten about Issei's classmate, Arisato Minato, and the foolish human had jumped forwards to shield the Fallen with nothing more than his feeble human frame. An outstretched arm was the only thing blocking his face from being completely annihilated by the bubbling red sphere._

 _She desperately tried to cancel it, but as she feared the sphere of death paid no heed to her command, not when there were so many meals in front of it waiting to be consumed._

 _Behind her, she heard gasps of horror from her Peerage._

" _Arisato-san!" Issei's unmistakable shout at seeing his friend's life in danger rang out in the cavernous church._

 _But nothing could be done, and they could only look on helplessly as the crimson ball made contact with the human's finger tips. It went completely as she expected._

 _The human hand offered zero resistance against the flying sphere, and completely disappeared from existence the way a pencil sketch would in the path of an eraser. Her brother once said such a death would be painless as all the nerve endings would disappear before being able to send off any signals, but she knew the look of surprise on the boy's face would haunt her forever._

 _For them all, time had slowed down, and they could see Minato's hand being devoured inch by inch clearly, with each and every grisly detail etched into their minds. That was what allowed them to see what happened next vividly._

 _Just as his elbow was about to consumed, it erupted. It was as if a smoke grenade had gone off at his elbow joint. Black wisps of smoke billowed out of what remained of his arm in a continuous stream, wrapping around the crimson ball of destruction. Then she noticed the smoke had taken a corporeal form, resembling a snake that was entwining itself around the sphere. With a start, she observed that the smoke was not being erased out of existence. Instead, it only became more solid, and two bright red spots shined into life at the end of the smoky column. When the end suddenly split into two like a forked snake's tongue, she realised they were eyes and she was currently staring at a maw of a snake. The creature opened its mouth wider and wider with every moment until it suddenly stopped and recoiled back, like a cobra._

 _Like a coiled spring, it lunged forwards and wrapped its smoky intangible jaws around the sphere, stopping it in its tracks. Like a real snake's, its jaw became unhinged, and soon the entire ball was encased in the serpent's mouth. Were the situation not so absurd, it would have been comical to look at, a giant bulge in the serpent's head accompanied by a long slender body thinner than her arm._

 _Then the creature swallowed, and the giant bulge at the front of its body vanished. Her jaw dropped. Did her Power of Destruction just… disappear? The serpent, having regained its slim body, began to wrap itself around the boy's arm, who looked at it with wide eyes, as if he did not know what was going on either. It snaked down the length of his arm, creating a coiling mass where his forearm and hand once were. And just like that, the dark wispy serpent vanished as quickly as it appeared, and was replaced with an arm, its flesh a healthy pink, its skin smooth and unblemished._

 _The boy stared at his newly-recovered hand in wonder, and watched in fascination as his fingers danced, as if it was his first time having such an appendage, all while ignoring the looks of disbelief she and her Peerage were sending him._

" _Huh," the boy remarked casually. "That's new." And then he straightened his arm such that his palm was facing her directly._

 _She was so caught up with the incredulity of the situation she forgot how to react. Thankfully, her Peerage, sensing the threat towards their King, immediately got into position. Akeno, her ever-faithful Queen, appeared next to her, a ball of electricity cackling in front of her hand. Kiba leapt in front of her, ready to defend his King with a wickedly sharp sword that appeared in his hands. Koneko stood protectively between the intriguing human boy and her new Bishop and Pawn, who had yet to recover from his shock._

 _Not expecting such a reaction from her Peerage, the boy immediately re-positioned his arms and placed them above him in a placating manner. "I apologise if I startled you."_

 _Her Peerage slowly lowered their guard, but did not completely stand down. Taking the opportunity, Rias fired a barrage of questions at him._

" _What was that? What did you just do? Why is your arm there again?"_

 _The boy looked at his regenerated hand thoughtfully. Poking curiously with his other hand, he shrugged. "I genuinely do not know what I did there. I wanted to stop your attack from hitting the Fallen, so I jumped in the way, everything else that happened was beyond my control."_

 _She wanted to scoff. That the boy had somehow unknowingly banished her Power of Destruction and regrow his hand? She was not the only one that doubted his words, and Kiba pointed his sword threateningly at him._

" _I suggest you not lie, we outnumber you five to one."_

" _I'm not lying."_

 _She did not know what made her believe his words. Whether it was the sincere tone that carried them, or the straight face that said them, she simply decided to take his words at face-value._

" _Kiba, Akeno, stand down." They looked in surprise at her, but followed her command nonetheless._

 _Finally recovering from shock, Issei cried out in amazement. "Arisato-san! That was so COOOL! You were like a total badass over there! Did you know that was Buchou's signature move?! And you just made it disappear just like that! WOW!" and then he pouted, "if only you hadn't done it to protect the Fallen Angels, that would've been so much better."_

" _Issei," Akeno said gently, but she could tell the black-haired beauty was admonishing him, "you're telling your classmate a little too much right now. Let's try to consider the time and place okay? Otherwise, I'll have to punish you." She ended off the words with a sweet smile, but Issei shuddered._

" _But Arisato-san's my friend!"_

" _Issei, your friend just stopped Buchou from eliminating four Fallen. As he has intervened with the actions of the administrator of the land, this could potentially mean he's an enemy." Kiba said sternly._

 _Her knight had a point. As the administrator of Kuoh, she had the right to deal with those that meant her harm through any means possible._

 _Issei looked like he wanted argue back, but his classmate silenced him with a palm._

" _It's alright, Issei. It's my fault for jumping in like that. However," this time, his gaze was directed straight at her, and she nearly flinched from the hard stare he was giving her, "I would like to appeal to Gremory-san to spare the lives of the Fallen for now. They have already been judged, and punishment has already been administered."_

" _Ara ara, aren't you a quick one, Arisato-kun?" Smiled Akeno coyly from her side, "are you sure we can't punish them more? My whip has not seen action in so looong."_

 _The boy paled at the tone of her words and the implication of what she said, but quickly recovered. "No."_

 _She debated over the boy's request in her head. The boy was right that the Fallen had already suffered - even that much was clear to her. But she was unwilling to let them live just like that. On the other hand, if she declined his request... It could lead to a clash between both parties, and give what she had just seen, she was not confident they would win, numerical superiority or not. In times like this, it was better to err on the side of caution._

" _I have many questions for you, Arisato Minato" she finally said to him. "But I can see that you are tired." And indeed he was. He was panting, and his hunched back gave away his inability to stand straight. His clothes were drenched with sweat, and he was resting his weight on a destroyed pillar. "Very well," she said as primly as she could, "I will grant your request and spare the Fallen for now. In the meantime, you should get some rest. After the weekend, I will see you at the Student Council Office before school starts on Monday, where we will answer the questions we no doubt have for each other, is that alright?"_

 _The boy seemed to consider it for a moment. "Seems fair," he nodded, "I will leave them in your care, as you appear to be in charge of situations like this. They are in quite a… fragile state, so please treat them as you would a wounded and traumatised person." He gestured towards the Fallen._

 _She wasn't happy about it, but her honour required that she would so anyways. "I give you my word."_

 _The boy nodded in acknowledgement to her and her Peerage as he got up and sauntered off, hands stuck in his pockets, whistling an unknown tune._

" _Please… Forgive… me…" Their attention was suddenly diverted to the Fallen on the ground. She saw the one that had killed Issei, the ringleader of the four, trashing in her restless sleep. She was whimpering incoherently, and clearly whatever nightmare that plagued her was a result of the events that had only transpired in the past few hours._

 _Just what had happened exactly?_

Sirzechs nodded grimly as he heard the story from his beloved younger sister, who still seemed shaken by the appearance of Azazel and the commotion from last night. She looked as though she was berating herself for something, as though everything was her fault. That should not be the case, and he would need to tell her so. "It was wise of you to let him go," he said suddenly, causing Rias to look up in surprise. "The boy is clearly an unknown, and any further confrontation with him could have led to terrible consequences."

Encouraged by her brother's approval, Rias Gremory beamed. "Thank you Onii-sama, but I still find it very disturbing how he seemed to be able to counter my Power of Destruction. I know that my power pales to yours Onii-sama, but it shouldn't be normal for anyone to do such a thing, right?"

He scratched his chin thoughtfully. Rias was right that it was disturbing. "You're not wrong. Even if your Power of Destruction is less potent and more uncontrollable than mine, such a feat is still quite unbelievable, especially for someone you claim to be human."

"He is," Rias defended, "I checked. Koneko smelled nothing off about him. The only abnormality she detected was when that… smokey-snake-thing popped out of his hand."

Sirzechs furrowed his brows. And there was another mystery. What in the world was it that his sister's Peerage had seen? Was it part of the boy, or was it a completely separate entity that lived within him?

"I need you to describe it to me, Rias. I can't help you if even you don't know what you saw."

"Lucifer-sama," interjected Akeno politely, "with all due respect, perhaps you should try asking Koneko. She's the one whose senses are most attuned to magic and nature."

"There's just one problem," added in Kiba, pointing towards the small white-haired girl, "she hasn't been the same ever since it appeared. It's like… it traumatised her."

Sirzechs frowned at the sight of the Nekoshou. She was sitting on a chair almost as tall as her body, but she had pulled her legs up to her body, hugging them tight with both arms. That did little from stopping her whole body from shaking in fright, however. Her eyes were darting around, and when he got up to approach her, she hissed in protest.

"This… is quite worrisome." He finally said.

"Is there something wrong with her, Onii-sama?" Asked Rias, her voice full of concern.

"On the contrary," he stated, much to the surprise of everyone, "such behaviour is normal for Nekoshou and Nekomata. When practising Senjutsu for the first time, many of their kind go into such shocked trances when first exposed to the malice of the world. She will come to her senses soon. However," he said gravely, "for little Koneko-chan to have such a reaction towards that serpent… would imply that the creature is quite the dark entity indeed, which does raise several concerns about the boy who wields it."

As if realizing they were talking about her, the cat girl began to talk, but so softly that they had to lean in to hear her.

"I… heard it. It spoke. It called itself… the devourer of the Sun." And with those words whatever remaining mental fortitude she had left crumbled away, and she tumbled down the chair into Kiba's awaiting arms.

"That… is quite troubling indeed," remarked Sirzechs, breaking the ensuing silence.

* * *

The two Faction leaders bumped into each other in the corridor.

"Azazel," Sirzechs greeted, "I trust your talk with them went well?"

"No, Sirzechs," Azazel shook his head gravely, "it seems that Kokabiel has forsaken the Grigori and gone rogue, taking a rather large number of Fallen with him."

"That is bad news. Do let me know if you require any assistance."

"I will keep that offer in mind. And you?" Asked Azazel, "did you beloved sister mention anything worrying?"

Sirzechs laughed. "Nope, nothing particular of note."

The two leaders walked off together in silence, completely unaware that both had their minds occupied on the same blue-haired transfer student.

* * *

 **Announcement 1: I want a Beta-reader! I'll do it off a google-docs template like so many of you guys suggested (thanks btw). Interested applicants, do PM me. For now, it's just Fallen Messiah, but it might include King of the World and the Gallant Jinta (which is going to be rewritten next) in the future. Please do let me know if you're only interested in this story. In your message to me, please include ALL your Comments and thoughts on the previous chapters (including this one) of Fallen Messiah, and do note that your constructive comments for improvement will be a KEY CRITERIA for judging. Of course, you'd have to use decent english in your message, and just to inform you guys, my current goal is one update every two weeks, so you're gonna have to be an active Beta too. Do note that a Beta Reader is not strictly needed as of now, and if no one fits my liking, well... there won't be a beta-reader then.**

 **Announcement 2: For those who like DxD or the K project, i have a new story up! It's called King of the World, and if you haven't read it, it's basically set after Return of the Kings, where Yashiro is transported to DxD. The nature of the story is different from this. It'll be alot more broad and expansive, but much less deep and exploratory. Do give it a try if you have free time! On a side note, my next update will probably be King of the World and the cosmetically rewritten Gallant Jinta.**

 **Announcement 3: Don't forget to leave a review or PM me for anything you want to discuss about this chapter or Fallen Messiah in general. As usual, fav and follow and point out any mistakes to me so I can change it ASAP!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Amazingly, I can write a ten thousand word chapter in one weekend with enough free time and motivation! I have to thank you guys for your continuous support, this chapter would have been impossible without it! Keep up the reviews, the PMs, the favs and follows, every little bit goes a long way in motivating me to keep writing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

He prided himself on being able to wear his stoic and neutral mask at all times, regardless of what inner turmoil plagued him. His acting, however, had been put to the ultimate test from the events at the Church. The possession of his body by the Angel that claimed to be Lucifer had been distressing to him, but he had hid it well, choosing to ponder about it later in the privacy and solitude of his home. Then the little encounter with Rias Gremory had occurred, and his calm exterior began to crack.

He had watched with detached interest as Rias Gremory gently chided Issei, and had briefly been shocked when a chess piece Rias pulled out somehow brought the blonde nun back from the dead.

So that was what the Fallen and Issei had meant by reincarnation into a Devil. He had mixed qualms about such an act. He could not claim the redhead was playing God and going beyond her authority when he himself had seemingly risen from the dead. The real issue was how Rias had automatically assumed that the nun would want to be revived. Granted, he could tell that the nun had her life cut off prematurely, and had not died peacefully, but that was not Rias' decision to make. Depending on how deeply she tied herself to the Church and holiness, it was not certain that the nun would want to be revived in the first place if the cost was her humanity and allegiance to God. The only consolation was that being brought back to life would give the nun the ability to choose, even if she paradoxically did not have a choice.

His internal debate was interrupted when the crimson sphere appeared in front of Rias Gremory. He had never seen it before, but he could tell that it was an instrument of destruction. Every fibre of his body told him to run away, and that rushing headlong into it would lead to an immediate death. He could sense its gluttony, its desire to ravage and absorb everything in its path.

Unfortunately, it was pointed right at the Fallen Angels, and his instincts to protect beat his instinct to survive. So he jumped to intercept the ball of death just as it was released from Rias' fingertips.

' _You Fool!'_

The voice had rung out in his mind. It had a raspy yet slippery undertone, and sounded more like a hiss than anything. But by the time the words had registered in his mind, his entire lower arm was missing, and that had been another shock to recover from.

He was not given any time to do so however, because the black wispy serpent had erupted from the stump of his elbow and gone on to stop his entire body from being consumed. There was a moment where he was concerned that the snake would be ingested as well, but it was short-lived. The entity, as if sensing his worry, had scoffed vehemently.

' _I am the Devourer of the Sun. If you think such a measly grape can stop me, you have sorely underestimated me.'_

He had shut up afterwards, content with watching the sassy serpent do its thing. The regeneration of his arm had been a pleasant surprise afterwards as well.

Things only went downhill from there, and the mask of serenity he enjoyed wearing had shattered completely when the serpent vanished.

They would not shut up. They were ceaseless, loud, and anarchic. An endless torrent of babble and chatter poured into his mind. He wanted to cover his ears to drive them off, but he quickly realised that the voices were coming from _between_ his ears instead of outside of them, and that such an action would be futile. He couldn't catch a single word; that was how uncountable and disorganised the conversations were. The voices were male and female, human and bestial. A gregarious cacophony of laughter, speech and exclamations. It was as if he was suddenly thrown into an ocean of people, each speaking to each other at maximum volume and different languages. He couldn't hear himself think, and maintaining the ensuing conversation with Rias Gremory had taken everything out of him.

Even Rias Gremory had noticed his fatigue, but he could not bring himself to care. He just wanted some time to figure things out and the voices to stop and had jumped at the opportunity to go home. He had ignored the stares and looks of Issei and the rest, and stumbled back home. It was a difficult walk, and he would occasionally need to stop and rest lest he collapse. The voices were taking a toll on him, and his headache was becoming worse and worse. His skull felt like it was splitting apart, but the voices did not relent.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally limped into his room and tumbled onto his bed. His shut his eyes.

He was not going to sleep. He had tried this the very first time he had woken up without his memory but had hit an invisible wall. He was certain the wall had been knocked down.

He gathered his senses. Sight, scent, sound, taste, and touch. Instead of focusing of them on the world around him, he flipped them within, and dove straight into the deepest recesses of his mind.

* * *

He knew it had worked the moment the voices died down. To say they completely disappeared would be incorrect. Instead, they had diffused away, becoming softer, further apart, and now he felt like he was in a slightly restless library instead of a bustling market.

He opened his eyes, and he found he was no longer was in his room. Instead, he was in a giant enclosed area. He looked out a nearby window. Judging by the height, he was in a skyscraper: the tallest building in the city he was transported to. The rest of the town looked like a toy model settlement from his height – the buildings were minuscule from his point his view. Trains snaked around the interior of the town, and the roads that divided the city into neat blocks were illuminated by street lights. In the distance, he could see the massive cranes of a port, and tiny lights in the distances marked the location of ships floating on the sea that surrounded the island. Near the building he was on, a school caught his eye.

If Kuoh represented historical beauty, this school would be the epitome of modern elegance. The buildings were small and compacted together, yet it was dotted with glass houses and hanging gardens that trailed from the building's sides. Well-lit paths weaved in and out of the compound, leading to a large field surrounded by a running track. Next to the school, giant pools of water that served both practical and decorative purposes added to the image of an elite and cutting-edge school.

Gekkoukan High School.

He knew its name instinctively. After all, he had been a student here. He was sure of it.

A wet sensation coming from his leg shook him out from his reminiscing. He turned to see three jet-black dogs sitting behind him, their tongues sticking out as they panted excitedly and its sole tail wagging.

Wait, tail?

He looked closer, and took a step back when he realised all three necks were connected to the same body. The dog (dogs?) took the opportunity and yelped happily and jumped forwards, no doubt wanting to cover his entire body with its slobber.

Before he could react, a leash made entirely out of shadows appeared from nowhere, connected to all three collars on the beast, and yanked it back to the ground where it made an unhappy whine. He looked up to thank the owner, but his words got stuck in his throat when he saw just who it was.

It was not his clothing. He was dressed in strange mystical robes. It looked as though the night itself had cloaked the man, and tendrils of shadows danced around his body. No, it was the man himself. Already, he was using the word 'man' loosely, for he did not classify as one. After all, what was a person without his skin and flesh?

His face must have displayed his obvious shock, and the twin crimson orbs of fire that sat in his eye sockets glowed eerily. Long skeletal fingers pressed into a pale white skull. The man ominously shook his head, and watching the cranium swivel from side to side on a spine made him shudder.

Surprisingly, the voice that emanated from his came sounded completely normal, as though the man was regular human.

"My my, Minato-kun. That look on your face tells me all I need to know. Even though you seem to have forgotten about us, were you not the one to teach us never to judge a book by its cover?"

"I…" He tried to form the words, but his train of thought was interrupted by a sudden influx of knowledge. "Hades." He stated, and if a skeleton could look surprised, the Greek God of the Underworld certainly did.

"Oh? It seems that coming here has triggered something. It is good that you recognise me, however. It has been far too long since we have last talked."

He smiled at the God of the Dead. A yip came from below, and saw the dog staring at him while breathing heavily, as if waiting for something.

"Cerberus," he said, and the dog barked excitedly at being recognised, and immediately rolled over, exposing its belly to him. He knelt down and rubbed it. Next to him, a golden crown adorned with precious stones materialised in Hades' hand and he began to twirl it around his finger.

"I am curious," the god remarked, "between the two of us, who do you think this mutt likes better? I am technically his master, but you are the owner of his soul."

The words came to him naturally.

"I art Thou, Thou art I. Obviously he must like us equally the same, for we _are_ the same."

Hades' eyes twinkled in amusement. As if Cerberus could understand him, which it probably actually could, it sat up straight and licked his hand. He scratched it where he knew it liked it most – right behind the ears – and it purred like a cat in contentment.

"You remember fast. But surely you must still have many questions. I will answer as many as I can."

He paused. Hades was right. Now that he had his mind to himself, he could finally process his thoughts, and boy, did he have a whole catalogue of them.

He supposed he should start with the most basic.

"Where am I?"

The moving skeleton tilted his head to the side slightly, not expecting the question.

"You brought yourself here, and yet you don't know here it is?"

He shook his head.

"This," Hades began to walk towards the window, gesturing to the world beyond, "is your soul."

"My soul," he said.

"You soul." Hades repeated.

"All this…" He pressed his hand against the glass, "is my soul?"

"Nope."

He whipped his head towards the Death God, sending him an annoyed look.

Quickly shaking his hands in front of him innocently, Hades pointed outside.

"Look at it closely. Don't you realise something wrong about the city?"

He leaned closer to the window. And that's when saw it. The streets and roads, the veins and arteries of every city, were bare. The pavements were devoid of people. When the trains stopped at the stations, the platforms were empty, and nobody got off.

"It's a ghost town." He concluded.

Hades nodded. "Yes. The city you see here is merely a replica of Port Island you recreated from your memory, just like this Tower. However, you can't actually reach it. The only tangible part of your soul is this replica of Tartarus and its inhabitants. The windows here are nothing more than fancy paintings."

"Tartarus?" He asked, trying not to let his disappointment show. He had been quite enamoured with the idea that a whole city lived within him.

"This tower. It's called Tartarus. Do not look so glum, it is rather monstrous in size as well."

"And its inhabitants?"

Hades laughed. "Even more monstrous. I believe you have already met a few of us. Lucifer. Apophis. Cerberus. Myself."

"Apophis? You mean the thing that regenerated my arm?"

"Correct. It may have appeared small, but that _thing_ could easily match the size of this Tower if it wanted to."

Finally, he asked the question that had been burning in his mind ever since he saw the god in all his skeletal glory. "What are you? What are Lucifer, Apophis, and Cereberus?"

The skull opened his mouth but did not speak for a moment. Then he realized it was smiling at him.

"Why do you ask me this when you already know the answer?"

"Persona." He said.

The slight dip in Hades' head was the only sign of confirmation he needed. "I art thou, Thou art I. These words should be taken literally. We are manifestations of your soul. We are the accumulations of your collective experiences, bonds, and insights. We are your weapons, your tools, your friends. We are you, Arisato Minato, and you are us."

He let those words sink in, and found himself believing it without a problem. It was like a missing piece of a giant jigsaw puzzle, except most of the puzzle was still incomplete. It was more like finding a corner-piece and from there, he would be able to build back what he was missing.

"Then all those voices I kept hearing…" He questioned, joining the dots together in his head.

Hades sounded sheepish as he scratched his cranium with a long bony finger.

"Ah, yes. That must have startled you. It was all Apophis' fault."

He raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, you see… It takes a lot of effort for a forced manifestation, and had you been aware of us, it would normally be impossible. But you weren't and someone needed to save you from that Devil's death ball. In his rush to stop the orb of doom, Apophis may have… temporarily destroyed the barrier that separates us from you… Fret not, however, for it should be back up soon."

He gave the guilty-looking skeleton a strange look. "Will something like this happen again?"

Hades shook his head vigorously, "not likely. Now that you are aware of us, we can communicate with each other if we want to. If we want to be summoned or you want to call for one of us, well… words will suffice."

He heaved a sigh of relief at that. That ordeal had been agonising. But his questions were still many.

"Then it was all of you Personas? The Angel that took over my body, the regeneration of my arm, that snake, the resurrection after my dying?"

"Yes. All of that was us."

"So… I can come back from the dead?" He asked hopefully.

"Theoretically speaking, yes. But before you get any funny ideas, I need to tell you please don't die. Dying is a painful experience for the both of us."

He frowned. So could he or could he not die?

"Let's take your little spat with the Fallen Angel in your apartment for example, when you had your heart incinerated. That hurt, right?" Hades asked him, to which he nodded. "Yea, it sucked for us too. Imagine that a teacher suddenly dumped a ten-thousand-word essay assignment on you, and told you you had an hour to do it. We had to keep your soul ignited _while_ repairing your body. It's basically like overtime work with a deadline. And let's not forget to mention your reckless decision to jump in front of that Devil death ball. You would have had your entire _existence_ : Soul, Body and Mind erased. We would have to recreate everything from _scratch_ , and that's assuming if we still existed as well, considering we're part of your soul. So, the moral of the story is: don't die."

He nodded dumbly to the impromptu lecture.

Hades exhaled deeply. "Phew. Glad that's settled. Any other questions?"

"Yes," he replied. "There were so many voices just now, too many to count. Just how many Persona do I have living here?"

He got the feeling the skeleton was grinning at him, and his eyes were flashing excitedly.

"Would you like to find out?"

Hesitantly, he nodded.

Hades swivelled on his feet to face the other way. Beckoning to the empty air in front of him, Hades shouted, "Yo guys! Minato wants to see you all again!"

At first nothing happened, and he thought Hades had gone mad.

Then the first of them appeared.

He rose from the ground, bent on one knee. He had his plumed helmet bent towards the ground, not daring to meet his eyes. His sword, in front of him and made of divine steel, was chipped into the ground. Both hands were gripped on it tightly, and the arm guards he wore bore etchings of an ancient language long forgotten. He was clothed in protective armour – a leather skirt and a steel chest plate that was unscratched. His greaves however, that protected his shin was stained with blood, and a moment later he saw why. A lone arrow protruded out of his ankle, the barbed end still covered with the crimson blood of a demigod.

 _Achilles_. The fabled Hero of Troy was knelt in front of him, offering his complete subservience. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

But before he could ponder about it more, the next one came. From a swirling vortex that led to nothingness, a muscled leg stepped out. He noted it was barefoot, and soon the rest of the body followed after. It was dressed in only a steel skirt, exposing its chiselled and toned upper body. In one hand, it carried a nekhakha – an Egyptian flail. But the most curious thing, he noted, was its head. It was not human, instead it wore a jackal's head. Black and short-furred, its ears twitched slightly when it met his gaze, and its mouth opened slightly, revealing a pair of sharp canines. Behind him, Cerberus snarled threateningly at the newcomer, no doubt displeased about no longer being the only dog around.

 _Anubis_. The Egyptian God of mummification dropped to one knee, placing its flail on the ground next to him.

He was suddenly blinded by the bright explosion of light that came from above, and he turned away and used his hands to shield him from the glare. From a crack that had appeared from the air above him, light poured through. It was like a doorway to the sky, and a long slender body, covered in golden scales descended from the heavens. As the doorway snapped shut, an Eastern Dragon the size of a commercial jet circled in the space around him, the barbs at its snout dancing in the gusts of wind its very presence brought. He watched in fascination as the spines that lined up along its back sway up and down as the serpent soared through the air in a wave-like manner. As it lowered itself to the ground, four legs, each armed with sharp talons, supported its weight. The floor cracked at where the Dragon's claws met it, and its razor-sharp talons caused further damage by digging into the ground. The creature depressed its head, angling it in such a manner that the bone-made crest at the back of its skull now faced him completely. Another sign of submission.

 _Kohryu_. The Chinese deity that was at the centre of the universe, and was the incarnation of the Earth itself. And it had bowed its head to him.

More came. As if spurred by the bravery of the first three, they arrived in unending waves in all kinds of flashy and dramatic entrances.

A pearl-white gate appeared at the side of the room. When it swung open, a flurry of winged beings poured out. Each and every wing was of the purest of white, some feathered, some armored, and some seemed to be made of pure light itself. Some had twelve, others had ten, but every single one of them was bathed in holiness, and their virtue and might radiated from them. Together, they stooped to one knee, dropping their wings such that they coated the ground.

 _Michael_

 _Sandolphon_

 _Gabriel_

 _Metatron_

 _Raphael_

 _Uriel_

 _Trumpeter_

There was more, but his attention was diverted by the fissure that suddenly opened up from the ground.

An armoured hand slammed the ground from below and its owner pulled itself up. An immense and muscled being crawled out of the fiery crack in the floor. Its armour stretched from its arm to all the way to his face and feet. Seemingly made from lava itself, the being glowed red hot where the armour did not cover, and hissed in the cool air. Spikes adorned its garments, some still dripping with blood. It thumped its arm against its chest, uncaring that it had just impaled itself.

 _Abaddon_.

Behind him, more followed. Grotesque beings, the complete opposite of the grace and elegance the Angels had represented, climbed out of the hole one by one. They were only unified by their passion for destruction.

A blue humanoid, scantily dressed but with four arms, each holding a different weapon gave him a long look before nodding his head in acknowledgement.

 _Shiva._

A buzzing sound filled the air, and an immaculately dressed man with the wings of a fly ascended and gave him a deep bow.

 _Beelzebub._

An armored being climbed out, a scythe as tall himself in his hand. His golden mask fit perfectly with his golden armor. In a fluid motion, he removed his mask to reveal a handsome face with golden eyes and golden hair before putting it back on.

 _Chronos_.

And yet more still came, beings of destruction, tyranny, and anarchy pledging their allegiance to him, and they were crawling out from the ground at an unprecedented rate.

A cough from behind him caused him to turn. It was Hades, but he was not alone. Next to him, a white-haired and bearded man stood. The trident that radiated the power of the ocean gave away his identity. On his other side, a sturdy man holding what could only be a spear made out of pure electricity, as if someone had frozen a lightning bolt and turned it into a weapon. Gods and goddesses, every single one of them. A woman dressed in a war maiden's armour, standing next to a man equally menacing and radiating bloodlust. A queen, dressed in the finest white dress possible, talking amicably with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and had he not known who she was, would've stirred feelings of lust and affection at once. A man wearing goggles, with winged boots, floating in the air, a caduceus in one hand. There were still more, but the king himself broke the silence.

"Olympus is here to serve you, boy."

"And not just them," in the time he had been distracted by the Greeks, the whole room had become flooded with beings of all shapes and sizes, regardless of their affinity.

He recognised the Norse Gods, with Odin standing in front of them, Gungnir in his hand. Thor stood behind him, hefting Mjolnir on his shoulder.

Dancing in the sky around them were the Faefolk, tiny winged beings that sang and danced as they whizzed around the room. Seated upon their thrones Titania and Oberon smiled at him kindly.

The sheer number of people astounded him. There were legendary heroes wielding legendary weapons. _Saint_ _George, Siegfried, Hercules._ And they stood next to the vilest of villains. _Mordred,_ _Lilith, Lamia_. And they had knelt, deferring their heads to him. They had done so with the countless number of gods, deities, divine spirits and demons that surged the room. And he knew every single one of them. He could remember their names, and with each name came a story.

He recognised Apophis, who had grown much larger and coiled itself around a pillar, and gave it a nod of thanks for what it had done earlier. The being hissed when it saw his gesture, and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

He saw Lucifer, the redhead having withdrawn his wings and was leaning against the wall near the back of the chamber. The first of the Fallen waved at him when their eyes met and he smiled back.

And yet for all the grandeur and magnificence of the scene around him, he did not feel taken aback. A feeling of familiarity washed over him.

This.

This was what he was missing.

It wasn't just his lack of memories that made him feel so hollow. The loss of his Personas had hurt him almost just as much. They were an integral part of him, and in a way, they defined who he was. That was why he had initially felt so lost and directionless.

A tugging of his hand pulled him back to his senses. A small girl with golden hair, teddy-bear-doll grasped tightly in her hands, was looking up to him with blue baby-doll eyes.

"Ne, ne, Minato, welcome back to the Sea of Souls! Did you miss me?"

He laughed. An honest and sincere sound he hadn't been able to make since that first night.

"Yea, of course I missed you Alice. I missed everyone."

* * *

He did not know when he crossed the threshold and fallen asleep, for the next thing he knew the sound of the doorbell shook him awake. For a moment, panic gripped him. Was it all a dream? Had all that been a figment of his imagination, driven by his desire to rediscover who he was? Immediately, voices of reassurance came from within, and only then did he allow himself to relax, sitting still as his breathing returned to normal.

Reinvigorated by his newfound sense of confidence and purpose, he swung his legs off his bed and made his way to greet the visitor, curious to know who would come at such an early hour. He mind ran through a mental checklist of possibilities. He had eliminated Rias Gremory and the Devils, for they had already agreed to meet on Monday, and it was only Sunday today. He doubted anyone from school was close enough to him to want to visit, barring Issei, but he was certain the brown-haired pervert did not know his address.

He swung the door opened, and a stranger greeted him.

"Hello," the man standing across him waved. Minato eyed the man's shoddily dyed hair, blond bangs mixed in with a mop of messy black hair. He sported a goatee that seemed to have been grown from laziness instead of style. He was not dressed to impress either, wearing a loosely buttoned red trench coat that revealed a large portion of his chest and baggy pants. All in all, Minato's first impression of him was very poor, but he was not one to judge a book by its cover.

"And you are?" He asked, deciding to get straight to the point.

The man seemed to think for a bit, snapping his fingers when an answer came to mind. "A friend of a friend, I suppose. Do you mind if I come in? We have a lot to talk about."

Did they? Still, he saw no reason to reject him, and if the man had deemed the matter important enough to come in the wee hours of the morning, he would oblige him.

As he led the man in, Minato watched as the man curiously used his shoes to rub against flecks of dried blood on the floor.

Ah. He had forgotten about that. Blood was difficult to clean up, and he had given up after a while, content with letting the few stubborn scabs of his blood remain there. A reminder, if nothing else, of his mortality.

"An accident," he supplied cautiously. "It was very bloody, but not life-threatening."

The pseudo-blond raised a quizzical eyebrow. "You do not consider being _stabbed in the chest_ by a Fallen Angel's light spear life-threatening?"

He took a step back in surprise, staring at the visitor with renewed wariness and suspicion.

The man flashed him a smile. "I mean you no harm. I did not lie when I said I came here to talk."

Minato pulled a chair from the table, gesturing to the man to sit on the other side.

"Then let us talk."

"No tea or biscuits?" The man asked, faking disappointment. "My throat is quite parched from my tiring journey here. Surely you must be hungry, don't tell me you have already eaten breakfast at such an hour!"

He levelled a stare at the man, who gave him an innocent grin but did not budge.

His stomach grumbled. Loudly. The man's smile grew larger.

He sighed. "Wait here."

"No problem. Oh, and I realised I haven't told you my name yet. It's Azazel by the way, you can call me Azazel."

* * *

The angels and demons that lurked his mind had immediately blared out a warning, telling him not to let his guard drop by even the slightest margin. But he had been in the kitchen for almost ten minutes, boiling the tea, and the man had yet to make a move. He remained in his seat, whistling a jovial tune and Minato had sensed no malice coming from him at all, only slight mischief.

When the tea was ready, he brought it out to an ecstatic Azazel.

"This is good tea," the man remarked between sips.

"So, Azazel, what did you want to talk about?"

Azazel's face turned serious. "Many things, but firstly…"

He clapped his palms together in front of his face and the man bent his head forward, almost as if he was praying to him. "I must offer my deepest and most sincere apologies for the actions of my subordinates!"

He did not know how to react to the man who was prostrating himself in front of him. "… Subordinates?" He asked, confused.

"Yes, as the Governer-general of the Grigori and the de-facto leader of the Fallen, all Fallen Angels are under my charge. That means Raynare, Dohnaseek, Mittelt, and Kalawarner are all my subordinates."

Minato nodded in understanding. "So everything is your fault. Me dying. Issei dying. Asia dying."

Azazel leaned back in his chair, his arms forming a cross as he frantically tried to deny the accusations. "No no no no! Well, technically yes… but hear me out first before you get angry, okay? This actually brings me to my second subject." He took a deep breath. "I… no, the Grigori itself, requires your assistance."

His felt his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "Me? I'm a high school student, what could an ancient organisation of divine beings want with me?"

The Fallen Leader began to drum his fingers against the table. "Well, it's not you in particular. It's more of your strength we need. Don't be so surprised, Raynare told me what you did in the Church and while I am very alarmed and very curious, I will not pry. You are _not_ the Morning Star, though how you ended up hosting him I have no idea. I can sense turbulent emotions coming from you, but no ill intent, which is good enough for me. If it makes you feel any better, I haven't told anybody what they told me, nor do I intend to without your consent."

It did make him feel better, but he was still uncomfortable that a total stranger already knew of his Personas. The fact that Azazel saw him as an instrument of power did not help either, and he did not feel particularly obliged to offer his assistance.

"Why do you need my help, and what happens if I say no?"

Azazel shrugged noncommittally, "oh nothing much, just the end of the world."

Minato gave him a blank look.

Azazel sighed, "okay, maybe I exaggerated a _little_ , but a really bad person wants to do really bad things to trigger another Supernatural War, which _could_ lead to the apocalypse. But I'm not asking you to stop Kokabiel – that's _my job_ as the Grigori Leader. I just need a _small_ favour from you."

"Kokabiel?" He asked.

Azazel nodded, "yes, a rogue high-ranking Fallen – a very powerful one at that. It seems he, along with the numerous Fallen under him, have deserted the Grigori. An entire army disappearing is never a good thing, and I fear the havoc that would ensue if I were to leave him to his own devices. By the way, just to let you know, the whole debacle with Raynare was all his fault. He gave her orders that contradicted with mine."

He gave Azazel a very long and hard look. "And how do I know you are telling the truth?"

A distant look came across Azazel's features, and he took a deep breath.

"Did you know I was once an Angel?"

"Naturally," he replied, "all Fallen have to fall from somewhere."

"Smartass," but Azazel did not look irritated. "When I say Angel, I mean it in every sense of the word. I was virtuous, ignorant of sin and vice. I was obedient and loyal to my Father. I was in the High Council, equal to Michael, Metatron, and the rest of the Seraphim in every aspect. Now look at me, the Governor General of the Grigori. They call me the Corruptor of Man, but in truth I was the one who was corrupted. I Fell early, but I was never the first Angel to Fall. Who do you think it was that whispered sweet nothings into my ear? Who do you think it was that led me astray from the righteous path of the Light? Who do you think _taught me how to lie_?"

As if sensing Azazel's references, the Sea of Souls began to bubble, and from its depth a lone presence rose, and he felt its presence in his mind, watching the exchange with indifferent interest.

"Ask him," he dared, "ask the being who shares your body, the one who made me who I am today. Ask him if I speak the truth."

He felt Lucifer's curiosity fade away, and his presence gently ebbed back into the Sea, no longer interested in the conversation. He took that as a confirmation that Azazel was being honest.

He must have given some kind of a sign, because the next thing he heard was a sharp intake of breath from Azazel.

"So it's true. And you can communicate with him."

He tried to remain impassive. He did not mean to reveal so much.

Azazel took his silence as guilt, and sighed. "I will not pretend to know better than you. But I hope that you will somewhat consider my piece of advice. Lucifer is _dangerous_. He is _cruel, heartless and selfish_. He does not give his power freely. Whatever you have given up or will give up, I hope you are ready to live with it."

He knew all that. But he accepted it of course. But power was power. There was no such thing as good power or bad power. It was merely what you did _for_ itand what you did _with_ it that mattered.

But that was not what he wanted to talk to Azazel about.

"Your request," he changed the subject, "what do you need my help for?"

Azazel frowned. Clearly he wanted to speak more about their previous topic but he held his tongue.

"Protection."

He nearly choked on his tea.

"But aren't you the strongest Fallen?"

"The protection isn't for me. I can handle Kokabiel and his army, and should I not be able to, I will definitely be able to escape and call for assistance."

"Then…?"

"Kokabiel does not think I am on to him yet, and I do not wish to tip my hand so early in the game. But surely, if the Fallen here were to suddenly be reassigned to another place, he will become suspicious and accelerate his plans. But if he were to somehow catch wind of what I am doing, he will no doubt swear vengeance on those who sold him out."

"Raynare," he concluded. "You want me to protect Raynare and the other three."

Azazel let out a nervous laugh and scratched his cheeks. "Well, about that… It's just Raynare. The other three… well… let's just say they took a break from Fallen activity for the foreseeable future."

"Did I scare them that much?"

"Boy, you called upon the very first Angel, who was also the first of the Fallen. Where you then promptly beat them to the ground and sealed their powers. I would be worried if any of them were still mentally sound."

"So just Raynare then." He said.

"Yes. She will still be stationed in Kuoh, where she will pretend that she is unaware that Kokabiel has betrayed the Grigori. She will go by the cover that you are a newly discovered Sacred Gear user, and that is why she will be close to you."

"You mean, you are using her to gain information on me as well." He deduced.

Azazel's response was shameless. "Absolutely. If you think I am going to let Lucifer's host wander about un-watched, you must be crazy."

The man had a fair point.

"She tried to kill me. She _did_ kill me, in that spot right behind you." He pointed out.

Azazel chuckled and scratched his neck sheepishly. "You know, we really shouldn't dwell on the past. We should let bygones be bygones, you know, bridge under the water and all that 'forgive and forget' stuff."

Minato gave him a flat look.

"Look, it took me very long to convince her to do it, and if you reject me it'll make me look very bad. And besides, you're the one who sealed her powers away, shouldn't you take responsibility? You should be there, guiding her towards the righteous path so that she can redeem herself and regain her powers."

"You're guilt-tripping me." He realised. Azazel nodded his head gaudily. He frowned. "It is not my responsibility to babysit her. This is her penance for her wrongdoings. It is up to her to redeem herself."

Something snapped. But not in him or Azazel. Behind Azazel, an invisible curtain was revealed. A beautiful face, marred by tears that poured out of violet eyes. In a quick motion, Raynare wiped the tears off her face while dashing to the door. Slamming it open, the only sounds in the ensuing awkwardness was her sobbing and her footfalls as she bounded down the stairs.

He sat there, stunned. He had not even sensed her.

Azazel sighed. "She knew you were going to say no. And to a certain extent, so did I. It was unreasonable of me to expect you to accept. You have your own life, but I would not have come to you if I had any other choice."

"No choice? You are the leader of the Grigori, and you can only entrust her with a boy you just met?"

"It's sad when you put it that way, but no less true. Right now, my organisation is plagued by internal strife. Ironically, the Grigori is not a safe place for a Fallen to be in the present. We are on the brink of civil war, and that is no place for a powerless Fallen to be. So I cannot leave her with the Grigori. Nor can I dump her with any other Faction. The Devils here, while good-natured, are not so forgiving that they will take her in. The Angels are even more impossible, with their strict and unbending ways. So that leaves you."

"What makes me so special?" He posed.

Azazel smiled at him. There was sincerity and honesty behind it. "You could have killed her, you know. Many would have, in your place. You had every right and reason to, and the means to do so as well. Yet you did not. You showed her mercy. You gave her a second chance, an opportunity to better herself. That is more kindness the average Fallen will see in their lifetime, though she herself may not see it that way. So forgive me, when I say that I had high expectations of you."

He sighed.

"Wait here. I will be right back," he said in resignation.

* * *

It had been difficult to track her. She had run all the way past the city limits and into a clearing in a nearby forest. He had to summon Orthrus, the two-headed hound of Geryon, to track her down.

The Persona dispelled itself when he finally caught sight of her in a patch of grass surrounded by trees. It had begun to rain on his way here and, while making him wet and cold, it kept her from hearing him.

He watched in curiosity as the girl gathered tree branches and sticks in a frantic manner. He watched as she tore pieces off the Kuoh uniform she wore to create long strands of fabric. He watched as blood flowed down her palms from splinters in her hands as she tied the wood together, diluted by the rain and sweat.

When she was done, she took a step back at her work, and he raised an eyebrow at what he saw. It was crudely made, but proper tools and knowledge was not required to make such a simple object. Its shape was strikingly simple, a simple vertical line that bisected a horizontal one.

A cross.

She knelt on both knees before it, bloodied palms clasped in prayer. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He remained in his hiding spot, behind a hedge, choosing to observe.

Can Fallen even pray?

The answer was apparently no. He watched as her angelic features morphed into a wince, then a grimace and finally she was unable to keep it up and she let it all out with the breath she had unconsciously held.

"Why!?" She screamed upwards, straight into the sky. "Why do you punish me for praying!? Am I not worthy?! Or am I not strong enough to even glance a second time? DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER WHO I AM, FATHER?!"

Tears were now mixed in with the rain, and she slumped downwards, such that her legs were seated in _seiza_ but her back was leaning backwards so she was facing the sky.

"I SAW! LUCIFER SHOWED ME! YOU TOOK HIM BACK!"

She began to get back up, struggling to retain her footing as she stood up straight.

"I SAW HIS WHITE WINGS, YOU TOOK HIM BACK, GAVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE!"

She paced around the clearing, directionless and angry, all while yelling at the Heavens.

"HOW COULD YOU?! HE HURT YOU MOST, YET YOU STILL GAVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE! BUT NOT ME?! WHY!? AM I NOTHING TO YOU?"

She struggled to pull out the cross she had dug deeply into the ground.

"YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME, THAT I WAS YOUR DAUGHTER!"

The cross flew out, and with her, tumbled backwards onto the ground. She lay motionless, cradling the piece of wood a child would a bolster. She raised a lone fist and a single middle digit popped out.

"YOU FUCKING LIAR!"

Lightning cracked and thunder boomed, as if the Heavens themselves were responding to her.

She screamed. It was primal and guttural, a pure expression of anger, frustration and sorrow.

 _She is quite deluded_.

He nearly jumped in fright. So absorbed in watching her, he did not realise he had gathered a crowd. Not physically, but spiritually.

He could feel Lucifer, in his original Angelic form, shaking his head in disapproval.

 _Swearing at God will not earn his good graces. Not that it matters much anyway._

He raised a lone eyebrow at his additional comment. Lucifer was not alone. Many of Personas affiliated with Heaven had come to watch the show as well. They nodded their heads in agreement.

 _This world feels hollow._ Raphael supplied, _the overbearing presence of God is weak, diluted. His omnipresence has been reduced to a mere shadowy cling to existence._

 _If the girl wishes to redeem herself,_ Metatron sighed, _it will not be through God's will._

Uriel gave a metaphysical stare of accusation towards Lucifer. _You should have told her that redemption came from within. All her efforts trying to appease God will be for naught._

 _No._ The oldest Angel replied, _that is something everybody must learn by themselves. It is how I learnt it, and that is the only way it is meant to be learnt._

Their spiritual conversation was cut short when they saw Raynare was moving again. She got up, like a zombie, dragging her body and the cross around the field, walking back and forth. Then he realised she was using the cross as a hoe, drawing a straight line in the mud that had soiled her appearance. When she found the trench to be of sufficient depth, she repeated the process in the other direction, and he observed she was digging a cross into the ground.

She swung a fist towards the sky.

"I'll show you! I'll show you just how fucking devoted I can be! If you will not take my words, then take my blood!"

He watched in alarm as she used jammed a particularly sharp piece of wood into her wrist. The effect was immediate. A shriek of agony, and blood began to spurt in all directions. She turned her wrist to face the dirt and, using her other hand, pressed on the wound to control the flow of blood. It poured into the cross, creating a holy symbol made of an Angel's blood.

… _Self harm is not the way salvation_. Remarked Michael, and even Sandolphon could not resist his adding his own judgement.

 _It amazes me how stupid God's creations can be when they do not know what to do._

This was where he drew the line.

 _The girl will die of blood loss if you do not act soon._ Lucifer said, _and then my mercy will all be for nothing._

He got up and quickly moved towards the girl, not caring if he gave his presence away. It did not matter for seconds later, she fell flat on her face. He immediately flipped her around so she would not suffocate in the mud. Her eyes were closed, her breathing laboured, and her skin grew paler with every passing second. The pool of blood began to grow around him, staining the ground red.

He called for someone to help, and immediately a vibrant and bright presence flowed through his body. His body began to glow golden, and he could feel his skin temperature rising. The rain above him parted, and what few droplets left sizzled in evaporation as they landed on his skin.

The sun broke through the veil of clouds, and golden light descended, shining on the two of them in particular.

 _ **I am the Chariot of the Sun,**_

 _ **Child of Zeus and –**_

A twinge of annoyance from him caused the Persona to cut short his speech. This one had a rather inflated sense of ego; he had to remind him that nobody was around to hear his introduction anyway. The Persona, having remembered the time and place, quickly supplied him with the necessary knowledge and ability. He placed his hands over the gash on Raynare's wrists and they began to glow a mystic green. He breathed out in relief when the wound began to close by itself.

She would live. As he continued to pour Apollo's energy into her, he took the time to study her perfect features. He could see why Issei had been so infatuated with her. Now that colour was returning to her face, he could see that she was really beautiful in every sense of the word. Her sharp nose was small and cute, and her pointy ears made her look slightly elfish. Her lips were remarkably red without the use of makeup and her skin was unblemished and supple. A shame that her personality did not match her appearance.

Had he not seen her face contort into her wicked and furious expressions, he would have no trouble believing she was a Holy Angel. But even so, he found it hard to believe that the girl before him had willingly killed people in cold blood and even taken great sadistic pleasure in doing so.

He wanted to know why. What caused an Angel to fall. What caused them to abandon their just and righteous nature to go down the path of sin. For Lucifer, it had been greed and jealousy, but he knew every Fallen was unique, and so was their reason for Falling. So he would find out why Raynare fell, but he wanted to hear it from her own mouth. It would take time, he was certain, to earn her trust. Lucky for him, however, he now had the perfect excuse to interact with her.

At last, the Greek God of the Sun finished its work. He thanked him and Apollo preened under his praise. The girl was still unconscious, and would remain unconscious for some time to come, drained physically and mentally. He hoisted her to her back, draping her arms around his neck and lifting her legs with both arms. If the girl woke up and found out he was giving her a piggy-back ride, she would no doubt have a fit. All the more reason to return home faster.

* * *

Azazel beamed in delight when he walked in through the door, an unconscious Raynare in tow.

"You look cute together."

He scowled at the older man.

He was still in his seat, and Minato got a feeling that the man had sat there the entirety of the time, sipping his tea, which had somehow not run out.

"I'll help you." He said out of the blue

Azazel's eyes lit up. "Really? That's great!"

"But," he added, "you will owe me a favour, one that I can cash in at anytime of my choosing."

"Deal."

He was surprised at how quick Azazel had agreed. There had been no hesitation, no second thoughts. A favour from the leader of the Grigori was no small deal, and yet he had given it away so easily for the sake of Raynare.

Perhaps he had misjudged the man.

"Well then," Azazel got up and began to stretch. "I'm glad that's all and settled. Unfortunately, you'll have to excuse me for now. I have a rogue Fallen to find. Please, Arisato Minato," his tone turned plea-like, "do take care of Raynare."

He opened the door, but before stepping out, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and began to write on it.

"Here," Azazel passed it to him, "in case you need to contact me."

He took it gingerly, looking at the oddly-shaped scribbles and symbols. "I don't read magic."

Azazel laughed loudly. "You're holding it upside down."

He flipped the piece of paper, and Azazel pulled out a small black rectangle from the same pocket. "It's my cell phone number. Don't share it around please."

Minato had no words.

Azazel cast one long last look at Raynare before leaving.

Slipping the paper into his own pocket, Minato turned to look at the spot where the man had sat.

As his began to clear up the table, he realised Azazel's cup of tea was still full.

* * *

"Arisato-san," Sona began to say slowly. "What is that?"

As promised, he had come to the Student Council Room early in the morning to talk with the Devils. Apparently, judging by his audience, Sona and the rest of the Student Council was part of them.

The Student Council Room was ridiculously well-furnished for a school room, and he felt it belonged more to a palace than Kuoh Academy. Antiques littered the room, as did priceless paintings. Sona sat behind a mahogany desk filled with papers with Rias standing next to her. The Student Council and Rias' gang of Devils made themselves comfortable on the many sofas and armchairs that stocked the room.

" _Who_ is that," he corrected her. "Her name is Raynare," he gestured to the scowling Fallen Angel behind him. She was currently dressed in one of his male Kuoh uniforms, seeing how she had torn hers apart. The one on her was threatening to rip as well, though for a completely different reason. His uniform was meant to fit his streamline and thin body, and Raynare's curves were putting a large amount of strain on it. Though if one were to judge solely by the looks the only male Student Council member was giving her, they did not mind. "She will be attending this school," he declared.

"Absolutely not," replied Rias and Sona in unison.

They looked at each other for a moment, and Sona took the lead. "This is a school owned by Devils running in a city administered by Devils. It is a safe zone for pureblood and reincarnated Devils alike, where they can exist out of the Underworld without persecution. We cannot possibly allow a Fallen Angel to study here. It will result in unnecessary conflict, and sooner or later, one side will be hurt."

The inhabitants of the room nodded their heads in agreement. Issei was glaring daggers at Raynare, and Asia was hiding behind him. No doubt both were still haunted by their ordeals under her hand. The animosity between both sides was very apparent. Akeno was had a sweet smile on her face, but her own violet eyes burned with hatred. Rias had her arms crossed in front of her chest, a frown on her lips. The rest of the room was trying to look as neutral as possible, with many failing. It seemed Fallen Angels were not very welcomed at all.

Behind him, he could feel Raynare's anger and humiliation brewing. She had slept through the entire afternoon yesterday, and had screamed when she woke up in an unfamiliar room while he was eating dinner. It had taken several hours before she had calmed down and he managed to convince her that he meant her no harm. Still, that was not enough to overcome the fear and contempt she had for him. Once she had accepted that she was to be under his charge, she had promptly retired to her room, slamming and locking the door, refusing to talk to him until the next morning. He had pretended not to hear the screams and sobs that haunted him from the next room as he tried to sleep.

Getting her to come to school had been even more troublesome. It took continuous coaxing, subtle threats and it was only when he promised her that she would not be judged or laughed at by the Devils, and that he would stand up for her did she grudgingly accept his request. He had no other choice, how else was he supposed to keep an eye on her if he was to be in school for hours every day?

But now, his promise was at the verge of being broken. He could feel Raynare getting ready to run. He quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her and it was the sheer shock factor that she did not yank her arm out of his grasp. He was a man of his words.

His action did not go unnoticed. Sona raised an eyebrow. Issei's jaw dropped. The blond student council boy turned green with envy. Let them misconstrue his actions however they wanted.

He spoke before they did.

"Only Devils are allowed to attend this school?" He asked.

Sona nodded, pushing her spectacle frames. "And humans, of course. Unless express permission was given by the Satans, I am afraid that I will not admit any other races. It will be abusing my power that was accorded to me as administrator. I am afraid I must put the Devil's interest first."

He thought about what she said. "Then, I am afraid you must expel me as well then."

Rias cocked her head in confusion. "Arisato-san, what are you talking about?"

Sona merely narrowed her eyes. "Show me."

He called for one of them, any of them, and Uriel responded first. That was good, he supposed. Uriel had the prettiest wings.

A spiritual dam broke, and power flooded through him. He felt his body rising from the ground as a holy aura began to illuminate his body. He only wanted to prove a point, and a confrontation was not his end-goal. For that reason, he restrained the torrent of strength that coursed through him, forcing it back down into the Sea of Souls such that only a trickle remained.

"Wha-" The exclamations of the devils were cut short by the wings fluttering out of his back, giving him a slight tickling sensation. Twelve of them, bird-like and made of the purest white feathers, lit up the room. Above his head, a golden halo shined. With that, the attitude of the entire room changed. Gone was the shock and surprise, replaced with caution and wariness. Those that had been lounging lazily on their chairs leapt to their feet. Sona had gotten up, slamming her hands on the tables in the process as a pair of bat-like wings of her own appeared from her back. The rest of the room followed suit, the only exception being Asia and Raynare, and soon the entire room was flooded by winged individuals. No weapons had been drawn yet, and no spells fired, but that line could be crossed at any point in time.

It was an epic staring battle, and he turned slightly to see Raynare looking at him, eyes wide with awe. She seemed to have forgotten that he was still holding her hand, and it was only when he let go that her scowl returned. He did not know if it was a good thing that there was a trace of smugness in her face at seeing the Devils so on edge.

It was Asia that broke the silence. Her voice was filled with veneration and awe, and she dropped to both knees, hands bunched up together in a hastily formed prayer. "Archangel…" She breathed out in amazement. She closed her eyes, and her lips began to move in silent prayer. The next moment, he thought someone had hit her. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her head.

"Owww," she groaned, "I forgot I can't pray."

Ah, he'd almost forgotten she was a Devil as well. He was certain that the praying had hurt her more than it had for Raynare.

Her face was downcast, and the disappointment in her voice hurt even him.

He felt Uriel nudge him, and he conveyed the message the Angel wanted him to pass to her.

"I am sure God heard what little you managed to say, and is all the more grateful that you still tried."

The bright smile the ex-nun gave him made him crack one of his own.

"Really? Do you really think so, Archangel-sama?"

He nodded, and a look of contentment and bliss overtook Asia's face as she sat down and tried to recover from the pain.

He noticed the entire room was staring at the both of them. That little exchange had caused them to lower their guards, albeit very slightly.

Looking at the Fallen behind him, he repeated his words.

"Her name is Raynare, and she will be attending Kuoh Academy."

* * *

 **A/N: Phew that's done. Honestly guys, thanks for the support, never thought I would get over a thousand favs and follows so quickly, and on my first real story too. Keep up this rate, and we'll definitely be seeing more frequent updates! ;) For all those upset with the Minato-nerf, your wait is over, hooray! Even though his Personas are back, his memory isn't, and that's definitely something that's gonna take a much longer time.**

 **As always, fav and follow if you haven't already, and don't forget to leave a review to let me know your thoughts or if you see any mistakes. If you can't, or are just shy, you can always drop me a PM if you have any questions. On a side note, still looking for a Beta :/**

 **~~Paulzies**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: New chapt! Fast, right? Anyway, this chapter will be kinda dry in the sense that there isn't really much action, but it _is_ focused on characterisation, which is pretty important to me. On a side note, a couple of announcements on this story below, so if you're interested in the direction this story is going to go, do read up.**

 **Thanks to Shaded for helping with this chapt! You da man!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

They decided a phone call was the best way to settle the matter. Rias had hidden herself in the corner, phone pressed against her ear and waiting for the call to connect.

From what he had deduced from their previous conversation, Satans were the leaders of the Devils. If they were anything like the Demons that clinged to his soul, he pitied the girl. He could picture them, beings of immense power and presence. A wave of their hands, and whole swaths of land would be reduced to inhospitable wastelands. A simple command, and an army would charge out to crush their foes, more afraid of failing their leader than the pointed spears of their enemies. They were monsters, both in body and heart. Ruthless and cruel, their souls were hardened by ambition and Faustian efficiency.

And now Rias Gremory was trying to call one. Why she had the number of such an important figure, he did not know.

And audible click could be heard and the whole room became quiet. Uriel had long descended back into depths of the Sea of Souls, and the Devils had withdrawn their wings. This left a very comical sight of a roomful of teenagers trying to eavesdrop on a very uncomfortable-looking Rias.

"Hello?" She said weakly.

The phone was not put on speaker, but even from across the room he could hear the intensity of the Satan's response. Though he could not decipher the words, the Satan's reply was loud, and Rias had to shirk away from the phone. The torrent of words from the Devil Leader was unending, and Rias' face grew redder with every second.

He felt sorry for her. He could imagine the Satan had better things to do than to listen to the whims of a high school student. He could be planning a war, or handling a domestic issue that threatened the existence of Devilkind. No doubt this phone call had inconvenienced him, interrupting matters that were far greater in priority.

Now he felt bad. Perhaps they would not have escalated the issue if he had chosen a weaker Angel, a Cherub for example. But a weaker Angel might have caused both him and Raynare to be kicked out of school. Raynare would come to this school, and if he had to borrow the power of a Seraphim to ensure it, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Finally, the flood of words from the Satan stopped, and he could hear heavy breathing from the other end of the call. The Satan must have been out of breath after such a furious tirade.

Rias, face as red as her hair, slowly brought her phone to her mouth. Covering with her mouth with one hand, she responded, trying not to sound embarrassed.

"Yes yes, I know I promised to call more often, and I missed you too, Onii-sama."

His jaw dropped.

The room snickered. Akeno was giggling off to the side, and Sona had an amused smile. The rest of the Devils were trying hard, but failing miserably, to hide their laughter. Behind him, even Raynare had the slightest trace of mirth in her eyes. That was good, humour was healthy.

Looking at Issei's cheesy grin, he remembered how the boy had told him that Rias had come from an important Devil family that night in the church.

So this was what he meant.

* * *

So the girl had an older brother whose job was to lead the entire Devil Race. The same girl who he had manifested the power of a Seraph in front of. The same girl who was reluctantly holding out her phone to him to take.

After Rias had explained the situation to her brother, the Satan had wished to speak to him. There was little wonder why.

Gingerly, as though the phone was a priceless artefact, he accepted the device from her.

"Hello?" He finally said hesitantly.

"Hi. Is this the famed Arisato Minato my sister has spent sleepless nights thinking about?" The voice on the other end sounded young, and had a tinge of playfulness in it.

He looked at Rias, who was leaning dangerously close to him to hear the conversation. She squawked in indignation.

"Onii-sama! I did not! It was only that one night when he vanished my Power of Destruction! And I fell asleep fine after that!"

Too late she realised the whole room had heard her and she slapped her hand over her mouth. The Devils associated with her might have known about his deeds in the church, but those in the Student Council certainly did not.

They were looking at him in a new light, fresh curiosity and surprise plastered all over their faces. From her seat, Sona adjusted her glasses. _Is that true?_ She mouthed.

Hesitantly, he nodded. The Student Council President narrowed her eyes, and looked as if she was considering something deeply.

"Ah, so she _is_ listening in. Rias, if you're still there can you let us boys have a little man-to-man talk?"

Rias frowned. Clearly, she wanted in on the conversation. But it appeared that her respect for her brother outweighed her curiosity and she reluctantly backed off.

As if able to sense his sister leaving, the voice spoke again, but this time the Satan sounded far more serious than before.

"I apologise for that. Rias can be quite... nosy, especially when her sense of curiosity is piqued. But I have not introduced myself."

There was a pause, and he could almost imagine a male version of Rias taking a bow.

"Sirzechs Lucifer, formerly Gremory, at your service."

"Arisato Minato," he returned.

"Yes, I know. Rias made it certain that I knew when she told me that you had Apophis eat her Power of Destruction. And apparently, you are also an Angel now. One with twelve wings. Fascinating."

His words got stuck at his throat.

"How did you know about Apophis?" He asked a moment later.

"A member of Rias' Peerage, Toujou Koneko, the small white one, are you familiar with her?"

He looked around the room, and found the aforementioned girl stuffing her face with the countless refreshments that were available in the Student Council Office. She averted her eyes away from his when she saw him looking.

"Yes, I see her," he told Sirzechs.

"Yes, she's a Nekomata, or to be more exact, a Nekoshou. Do you know what that is?"

"Yes." His Personas were diverse, stretching all mythologies and legends. The human-cat hybrid race was one of them.

"Then you must be aware of their high sensitivity to magic and nature. It is as if their five senses includes magic, and they are able to pick up things nobody else can."

"She heard it speak," he guessed.

"Correct. Apophis, also known as the Devourer of the Sun, who duelled the Egyptian Godking Ra every night in the Du'at. A Serpent seemingly made of the shadows able to devour even the most volatile and potent of magics, Bael's power of destruction."

There was a very long pause, but Minato did not think Sirzechs was waiting for a response.

Finally, the Devil finished his sentence. "A serpent that has also been dead for many, _many_ centuries. And I know for certain that it was not sealed in a Sacred Gear because _I_ was the one that slew it."

Ah, he realised. So that was the problem.

"And just when I came to terms with the impossible, my younger sister calls me to tell me the boy who housed a dead dragon now also sprouts twelve white wings from his back."

"Some people are always full of surprises," he said.

"Yes, it does seem that way doesn't it? I know that all four of the Great Seraphim are currently seated in their golden thrones in Heaven. Yet you cannot be one of the other six Seraphim that have twelve wings for I have fought them all before, and I know just what kind of people they are like. So ultimately, the question is, _who are you, Arisato Minato?_ "

This time Sirzechs was looking for an answer. But he did not know how to respond. How could he when even he did not know? While he had made a few small steps of progress in regaining his memory, almost all of his past was still shrouded in obscurity.

"That is something I would like to find out as well, Sirzechs-san." The occupants of the room widened their eyes at his casual use of the Satan's first name.

"Oh?" The voice sounded amused, "do let me know the answer when you do then. So you have Apophis inside of you, as well as an Angel. Any other _surprises_ I should be aware of?"

He did not like lying. But neither did he want to answer the Devil. His Personas were the only link to his identity, and revealing their existence was like telling his deepest and darkest secrets to the Devil.

"... Your silence is telling enough, I will not pry anymore."

"The Fallen Angel Raynare," he quickly changed the subject, choosing to return to the original matter at hand, "I wish for her attend this school with me."

"Oh yes. I had almost forgotten about that in my excitement to speak to you. May I ask the reason why?"

He did not know if he could tell him about Kokabiel.

"I was asked to keep an eye on her."

"I see. Did Azazel ask you to do this?"

"Yes."

"This is about Kokabiel, isn't it?"

"How-?"

"Do not be alarmed, Azazel told me about it as well."

"Yes, it is about that matter then."

There was a short interlude where Sirzechs seemed to think on the matter.

"Very well. I will allow your request. But you will keep her in line, won't you?"

He let out a breath of relief. "Of course. That was my very intention from the start."

"Then that will be all for now." He prepared to pass the phone back to Rias, who all this time had been sitting on a sofa, arms crossed in front of her chest and had a pouty look on her face.

"Oh, and Minato-kun?" The voice suddenly continued, "you owe me one."

Then the call went dead.

Minato stared at the device in hand. Perhaps Azazel hadn't been completely wrong. The Lucifer really didn't give out his help freely. The Fallen Leader had just been wrong about which one.

* * *

Raynare had left, the Student Council following her, to get measurements for her new Kuoh uniform. Of course, the sole male member, who he learnt was called Genshirou Saji, was naturally not invited. He had been devastated by that fact and now sat in the corner of the room sulking in silence. Issei was trying his best to comfort him, describing to him the wonders that had been on display during the brief time he saw Raynare in her scantily-clad Fallen form. Judging by the increased intensity of the wailing sounds, it was having the opposite effect instead.

The only other ones in the room now were Sona, Rias' group of Devils, which she called a Peerage, and him. They had moved some chairs around Sona's desk so that they sat in a semicircle, with him surrounded by all of them.

"Now that the issue of the Fallen has been resolved, we can finally get to what this meeting was initially for." Sona began, somewhat still unhappy that Raynare would be attending Kuoh after all.

Rias seemed to catch on to that fact. "Sona," she smiled sweetly at the bespectacled girl, "if you really don't want her to attend, you can always call another Satan to rescind my brother's order. Oh I don't know... I think the Satan Leviathan would be more than happy to listen to your request?" The way Rias had spoken was so innocent that he instinctively believed that there was a layer of meaning hidden behind it.

Sona's response was quick. "Absolutely not. You just don't want to be the only one who was embarrassed today," snorted Sona. "In the eight years I have owned this phone, not once have I called her. Nor do I ever intend to. Ever." She declared, a smug look on her face.

He was starting to become confused. It seemed as though Sona knew a Satan personally as well. Was she the sibling of one too? He immediately dismissed that thought, what were the chances?

Rias' face turned sour. "Fine, be that way Sona. If that Fallen girl burns down the school one day, I hope you sleep well that night knowing it was all your fault."

"I would rather that happen than to make that call, to be honest. Goodness knows that it would only set a precedent and she would soon expect a call everyday. But we are digressing. This is a question and answer session, and our guest looks bursting with them."

They looked at him expectantly.

"You are Devils," he said, then looking at the rest of the room, "all of you."

Rias frowned. "That... Is not a question."

Sona nodded her head instead. "That is correct. You seem... bothered by it."

He thought of a way to phrase his next statement without giving too much away.

"The Devils I know... they are not like you. They do not revive lives, they take them. With great willingness and pleasure might I add. They do not attend school and try to mingle with humans. They destroy towns and villages, and taint the hearts of men. And they certainly would not let an Angel, Fallen or not, walk amongst their midst. They hunt them down, and use their feathers to make garments and decorations as spoils. You are Devils. Yet you do not behave like them."

There was a moment of silence in the whole room, as its occupants stared at him blankly, still trying to process his words.

It was Himejima Akeno who spoke first, caressing her cheek as she spoke daintily, "Ara ara, Minato-kun. You seem to have a very morbid impression of us. What naughty things did you hear or see about us to make you think that way, I wonder?"

Sona added, "she is correct. What you said may have been true in the past, but that was centuries ago, back when the Original Satans still ruled with an iron fist, and the Three Factions were still embroiled in war. Today, times have changed, and with it, the Devil race. Few Devils behave the way you described, only a minuscule fraction, and society does not think well of them. In fact, we are similar to human society in many ways, especially since reincarnated humans form a significant proportion of the Devil population. We are not some archaic and tribal community of savages. We're modern, perhaps the most out of _all_ the pantheons and factions. We have Internet, cities, new media, and almost everything that humans on Earth do."

The answer surprised him. In his mind, _they_ sneered. How would Sona and Rias react, he wondered, if they knew their ancestors were calling them weak and blood-traitors? He dismissed the question, knowing he would not get an answer anytime soon.

"I've answered one question," Sona said, "now you have to answer one of mine. Who are you? I do not just mean your name. I want your past, your allegiances, and your purpose here in Kuoh."

She was a very straightforward girl, wasn't she? She kept looking at him patiently, expecting an answer, as did the rest of the room.

This would be difficult, considering how he did not know the answer himself. Luckily, Koneko bought him some time.

"Not an Angel." She said softly, but the weight behind her words made everyone turn to look.

"Not an Angel?" Rias repeated quizzically, "then what were those wings?"

"Not an Angel _now."_ The small girl clarified. She still seemed to avoid looking at him, "he wan an Angel then, but now he is human. Just like that time with the Sun-Eater."

Now he understood her uneasiness. The girl had sensed the presence of Apophis, a primordial deity of chaos and destruction, and that kind of feeling would have left even the strongest slightly perturbed.

If anything, they only stared at him more intensely now. But looks alone would not be enough to pressure him to reveal his deepest secrets.

"We all have things we'd rather keep to ourselves." He finally said.

They were clearly unhappy with his attempt to dodge the question. Thankfully, Sona seemed empathetic.

"Agreed. It would be rude of us to pry. I will not ask for your abilities and history. Nevertheless, I still must know about where your loyalties lie, and what you intend to do in Kuoh."

It was fair, he supposed. It appeared that they were in charge of the town, and that included the safety of its citizens. It was only reasonable that they confront possible threats, which he definitely was one of.

But that was also bad because he didn't have a straight answer to those questions either.

"I don't know." Sometimes being honest was the simplest option. "I was completely unaware of the supernatural community until I met the Fallen in the Church. And because of that, I am still figuring out what to do in this new position and circumstances I find myself in."

"You're lying." Kiba said, his voice sharp and his eyes narrow. "You said it earlier, that you have met Devils before."

"Kiba has a point." Sona crossed her arms. "It is unlikely someone of your power has remained oblivious to our world all these years. Arisato-san, if we are to have a meaningful and productive conversation, at the very least, we must be honest with each other."

The rest of them nodded their heads in agreement. "That's right, Arisato-san!" Issei pumped a fist into the air, having rejoined the discussion. "You can trust us! We're nice Devils!"

Asia smiled at Issei's antics, and then gave him a wholehearted beam, an innocent and pure look of anticipation on her face.

Well what did you know, looks _could_ make him spill the beans.

"I have no memories. I woke up not knowing who I was on the day I transferred into Kuoh. Some have slowly been returned to me, but not enough."

Some of their eyes narrowed in suspicion. Asia and Issei looked as if they believed him, and gave him looks of pity. He appreciated their concern, but he did not like being pitied.

"That... is a fairly far fetched claim... but there are ways to check," Sona nodded at Rias.

Rias stood up and walked towards him. She hovered both hands just over his ears.

"May I?" She asked gently.

He nodded, and prayed that his Personas would not do anything stupid.

She pressed her fingers against his temples, and suddenly he could feel her presence inside his head.

It was not at all invasive, and he knew for certain she could not tell what he was thinking. Instead, it felt more as though she was magically knocking on his skull and waiting for a response.

As quick as she entered, she withdrew. She gave him a baffled look.

"That... was not pleasant." She finally said.

"Well?" Sona inquired, "what did you find?"

"He speaks the truth. His mind has been tempered. And by someone very powerful. It was strange, as though the barrier that person put in was a living thing. It did not like being poked and prodded at."

Sona pushed her glasses up, an action he was starting to realise she did a lot of. "Well, I suppose that settles it. We'll believe you, for now, and I'd like to apologise for asking so much. We must also take some responsibility for what happened to you. As administrators of this city, such a thing should never have happened on our territory under our watch. I don't suppose you know who did this to you?"

As a matter of fact, he did. But he did not believe the entity known as Red would appreciate him spreading its involvement around, nor did he believe the girls knew of it either.

"Anyway, we will try our best to assist you in anyway we can. For now though, we will start with a brief history lesson on the Supernatural world, and introduce to you all the Factions that exist."

It was at this juncture that Raynare chose to return with the rest of the student council.

The difference was stark. Raynare had a smug look on her face, and walked in with a spring in her step so small he only noticed it because of how out of place it was coming from her. She was primly dressed in her new Kuoh outfit and he frowned when he realised that they were all empty-handed. What happened to his set that she had been wearing?

The rest of the Student Council looked as if they had just returned from war. They had haggard looks, and glared murderously at the Fallen in front of them. Their clothes were soaked with sweat, and their pants of exhaustion could be heard from all the way where he stood. What in the world had happened? Hadn't it just been a uniform-fitting?

"What happened?" Sona asked in concern.

One of the girls pointed at the smirking Fallen. " _That_ happened. Kaichou, you've got to expel her! She's not a Fallen, she's a Devil, no, she's worse! She's a complete Demon!"

He looked at Raynare accusingly. "What?" she pointed to herself, "I have a picky sense of fashion."

"It's a _uniform_! They're not meant to be fashionable!" Another girl shouted, "we were treated like slaves, she kept giving us orders, throwing all the sizes she didn't like out the window. And _I had to pick them up!_ "

He took the time to study her new uniform. It was much more tight-fit than normal, but other than that, there really wasn't much difference between what she and the other girls wore. Her skirt was much shorter as well, and people climbing up the stairs behind her would probably get a glimpse of her underwear. Then again, given her previous preferred Fallen outfit, the girl probably did not care much for modesty anyway.

"What?" She caught him staring, "do you need me to twirl for you?"

He shook his head. Not that she would have anyway, with that sarcastic tone of voice.

"And let's not forget she tried to take our clothes off so she could try wearing them too! We were sexually harassed, Kaichou! You have to do something about it!"

In the corner, Saji resumed his wailing even louder.

Sona pinched the bridge of her nose. She pointed to him. "She's your charge. Deal with her."

"Raynare." He snapped, and the haughty girl froze and grew pale. He was surprised at her response, as were the others in the room. "Behave."

The Fallen looked like she wanted to snap back at him, but something held her back. She was still afraid of him, he noted. He should try to rectify that soon.

Seeing the Fallen suddenly become demure, Sona idly remarked. "Interesting. I wonder if that would work on my sister."

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, trying to get back to the subject at hand. "I believe we were talking about how i needed an introduction to the supernatural."

Raynare looked baffled. "What for? Have you _seen_ him and what he can do?"

He heard Rias groan. He didn't want to repeat himself either.

* * *

It had been an enlightening discussion, but they had to cut it short when the bell that signified the start of class rang. Sona, the stickler for rules she was, quickly shooed them out of her office.

Now it was just Raynare, Issei, and him that were walking back to class. Issei had been fairly distraught when he realised that Raynare would be joining their class.

He was in front of them, refusing to be any closer to Raynare than he had to. The brunette saw it as moment of privacy where they could talk.

"So... you really can't remember anything?"

"Barely a thing," was his response, "but I am beginning to recall a few fragments every now and then."

Raynare seemed to dwell on his words for a while, and as though she had been building up her courage, suddenly asked very quickly, "so do you know why you have Lucifer and that other Angel inside of you?"

He turned to her, surprised that she could tell the difference.

She could apparently read his thoughts, because she suddenly sounded quite miffed. "Of course I can tell the difference. Every Angel is unique, and their signature is buried in their aura. The one that came out from your body just now... It did not feel like Lucifer. It felt familiar, and warm. I'm sure I've met that particular Angel in person before. Which begets the question: _why do you have his power?_ "

"That is something I would like to know too."

She seemed somewhat disappointed at his answer. "Have you tried asking them?"

He had, but the results were the same. "They would not tell me."

She sighed in acceptance. "Any other city-levelling beings that live in your body you think you should let me know about?"

He could tell that it was a joke, but he responded seriously.

"Many. Too many to count."

She snorted. It was not his problem if she did not believe him.

* * *

The class had been enraptured in silence ever since the trio walked in. Issei had grumbled unintelligibly to himself as he trudged back to his seat.

He had explained to the teacher of Raynare's arrival, but not introduced her, for she had wanted to do that herself. Standing before the class, she seemed out of character. She was docile, and gave off the impression of a model transfer student - pretty, polite and gentle.

"Somebody should give her an Oscar, that fake bitch." Issei grunted next to him.

"Hello everyone," Raynare said cheerfully, "my name is Amano Yuma."

Next to him, Issei, who had just begun to drink from a bottle, sprayed the contents all out of his mouth onto his table. "Are you kidding me?"

Oh right, he had forgotten. She had practice pretending to be an honour student. Well this made things easier. She wouldn't cause trouble in class, at least.

When Raynare had finished talking about her fabricated backstory, the class broke up into an excited chatter.

"She's so pretty!"

"Her boobs are so big! It's not fair..."

"Will she be the Third Great Lady of Kuoh?"

"Look at how smooth her skin and her hair is!"

A smirk grew on Raynare's face, who was obviously enjoying the praise and attention. The teacher at the front sighed, knowing that the students' attentions would all be focused on their charming new addition.

"Okay Amano-san. I'm going to get a spare seat and table for you. Is there any preference where you want to sit?"

Raynare smiled. The class gushed. They probably saw it as a dazzling smile, one that could thaw out even the most frozen of hearts. But having already known her beforehand, he recognised the mischief-bordering-ill-intent hidden behind that expression. And it was directed straight at Issei. Next to him, the brown-haired boy gulped.

She feigned surprise. "Issei-kun, you didn't tell me you were in this class!"

The class was stunned into silence, trying to wrap their mind around the fact that Issei was apparently on friendly terms with their new classmate.

She turned to the shocked teacher. "Sensei, if possible, may I sit next him please?"

"Are...are you sure?" The teacher sputtered out. "He's..."

"Yes," Raynare had a convincing expression of mock hurt, "I know just what kind of person he is. After all, he was my first, but ditched me for another girl right afterwards... I was so hurt! But, I realised afterwards that I just wasn't good enough for him."

"What is she talking about?" Issei murmured to him in disbelief. "She's the one that..." Realisation dawned on his face when he realised a large majority of the class was now glaring at him, murder in their eyes.

"Her first? Did you hear that? That heartless pervert Issei..."

"How dare he taint and ruin such a pure and innocent girl?"

"Poor Yuma-chan. Issei really is messed up."

" _That bitch_!" whispered Issei, fury in his eyes as his fists pounded the table.

He was tempted to agree. Raynare had literally riled the whole class up in her first minute here. A breath of resignation escaped through his teeth. And just when he thought she wouldn't cause trouble in class.

She sent the ashen-looking boy a pleading look, "Issei-kun. Give me this second chance to earn your love! I'll show you that I can be better!"

Issei drew the line when the crocodile tears fell. He stood up straight, causing the chair he had been sitting on to fly backwards. He slammed his hands on the table.

"You _goddamned lying who-_ " the sheer amount of killing intent directed at him caused Issei to swallow the rest of his sentence.

"Hyoudou Issei," the teacher said sternly, "sit down."

Slowly, his head hung low, he pulled his chair towards him. With a _thump_ his butt landed on the seat.

" _She has been punished_ " Issei tried mimicking his voice, but it was a poor imitation. " _She can't hurt anyone now."_

"Perhaps I was wrong," he admitted,because somebody was definitely going to end up getting hurt.

XXXX

In the end, he was the one that ended up sitting next to Raynare.

"I'll kill her. I really will, Arisato-san, if you do not swap seats with me."

And so he had, much to Raynare's disappointment.

"Oh poo. And I had been looking forward to aggravating him my whole time here.

"Behave." He said again.

"Pfft. You're such a party pooper."

"Be nice, the two of you." He warned while turning to both sides.

Internally, he groaned at his misfortune. Sitting between the two of them would be precarious, and a slight lapse in caution or judgement might immediately spark a war.

And not only that. He had managed to earn the looks of jealousy from what other few boys were in the class. And because of the image Raynare had painted of Issei, the girls kept sending Issei, and by association, himself, death stares. School had suddenly become very uncomfortable, and he almost regretted the decision of making Raynare come.

The only bright side of the new position he found himself in was that Issei didn't like talking to him as much anymore. The boy would occasionally give a casual remark, or clarify something in the lesson, but because looking at him meant seeing Raynare's face, Issei kept mostly silent now. It seemed the boy had a lot in his mind, and he would occasionally catch him staring out the window thinking about something for ages.

Surprisingly, the cold shoulder treatment stung slightly. He had been so used to the boy's antics and disillusions he was starting to miss them a little. He tried to distract himself by talking to Raynare instead.

"Boring isn't it," he commented to her, "making you learn all these mortal and mundane concepts like physics and mathematics."

Raynare paused in her absent minded doodling and nodded. "Yes. It was somewhat interesting to learn the first time, but now that I know all this, it's all very repetitive."

His eyes widened in surprised. Raynare had already studied this?

"You... went through high school before? How come you already know about these subjects?"

Raynare looked at him as though he had asked a very stupid question. "Why wouldn't I? I may be an Angel, but even I do not know how God created this Earth and how the system that maintains it works. Of course I'd try to understand it."

"And you do? All of it? Some of it is quite complicated you know."

Raynare scoffed. "Of course I do. I'll admit quantum mechanics and relativity were somewhat challenging, but really it's just about changing your perspective, and then it's a piece of cake." Upon seeing his look of amazement, she looked slightly disgruntled. "What, you think I've spent the eight hundred years I've been alive just twiddling my thumbs and killing humans?"

"...yes," he admitted while trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I may be a bad guy, but I'm not _stupid._ Knowledge is power, and all that stuff about keeping up with the times."

He could feel the image he had formed of the Fallen cracking. He had made the mistake of judging her too early. "Then you must acknowledge that humans are worthy of some respect, for discovering all this."

An ugly sneer marred her perfect features. "Respect? Pueh," she spat, "as if such a thing is worth respect. Anyone with a good enough brain can come up with this nonsense. No. Humans are still insects, insignificant and worthless."

"I'm human." He pointed out.

She waved him off. "No you're not. I don't know _what_ you are, but calling you human would be an insult to you."

"I _like_ being called human." He said in protest.

She looked at him with a baffled expression.

"There's really nothing special about humans if you discount their numbers, you know. They're weak. A handful of powerful Fallen or Devils could easily wipe out the human race. But do you know why they haven't?"

He did not doubt the authenticity of her words, not when he knew he could achieve the same result with his Personas.

"Enlighten me."

"Because humans are weak. They guise their fragility by hiding behind their technology and their science. They seek to understand this world so that they can predict and control it. They build their mega-cities because they naturally feel the safety in numbers. They have always been weak, and always will be, and that is why they are still alive, because nobody sees them as a threat but themselves."

He frowned. "But surely their accompishments must be worth _something."_

"It is. It's worth their short and pitiful existences. They're like an ant farm. It's fun to watch them grow, but they aren't actually very _useful_. And one day, if the Devils or some other faction gets bored of them, they'll just throw them away, and that's it. The end." Raynare shrugged, and he could feel his face twitching from her nonchalance.

He had met them. Devils like Rias and Sona, and they did not seem like the type to do such things. He pointed out that fact to her.

"This new generation of Devils? Perhaps not. But you have not met the likes of Zekram Bael and his gang of old-timers who control the Underworld from the shadows. They are the ones with power. The Satans can try, and the current Lucifer can give them a run for their money, but the elder Devils will find a way."

So this was what Rias meant when she said Devil politics were too complicated to get into.

"You are quite the pessimist, aren't you, Amano Yuma."

"It's something you'll learn with time, Arisato Minato."

Still, this was something he could work with.

* * *

Matsuda and Motohama had abandoned Issei. They were livid that Issei had not told them about Raynare. In his defense, according to Issei, he _had_ told them, but their memories had been wiped. Naturally, they were not convinced. And because Issei had no other friends, he joined them for lunch.

The sour-faced boy sat across Raynare. Still upset, the boy wolfed down his food, barely chewing, curses and swears dotting his eating process. Raynare was the epitome of serenity, sitting formally, grabbing small morsels of food with her chopsticks before eating it elegantly.

"Why Issei-kun, you look very hungry! Would you like some food?" The angelic look on Raynare's face was so convincing even he had trouble finding the sarcasm behind her words.

Issei gave her a dirty look. "You can cut the act, Raynare. There's nobody here but us. And no way I'm touching your food! You probably poisoned it with like... holy water or something."

"Then I'd be poisoning myself too, you idiot. Holy water hurts the _both of us_. Though you'll probably die and I won't." The innocent facade dropped, and was replaced by irritation. "And besides, the one who made this was him." She pointed at him.

"Arisato-san, you can cook?" He asked in surprise, and then in disgust, "and you cooked for _her_?" Issei gave him a knowing smile. "Ah, I see. You poisoned it, right?" He tried to whisper, but Raynare heard it and rolled her eyes.

He sighed. This line of conversation was going nowhere. "How is being a Devil?" He asked out of the blue.

Issei hesitated at the sudden question and tilted his head as he tried to come up with the answer.

"Things were a little difficult and confusing at first," he confessed. "But now I've gotten the hang of things. Look! I can summon my Boosted Gear whenever I want now!" He said excitedly, proudly showing off his arm.

Raynare spat out her food. "Boosted Gear? As in _the Longinus Boosted Gear_?"

Issei nodded his head up and down. A red light began to glow from Issei's arm, and with a bright flash somethinb else appeared, covering the entire limb from the elbow to this finger tips.

Red segmented armour covered his forearm, its glossy sheen reflecting the light from the sun. Where the wrist was supposed to be, a giant green gem was embedded into the metal. It glinted unnaturally, pulsating with power. Issei's fingers were replaced with talons. Sharp and curved blades of steel that looked as if they could cut through concrete like a hot knife through butter.

So this was a Sacred Gear. "A gauntlet." He said. He had expected something... more, from the way Raynare had reacted, and felt slightly let down at the anticlimatic reveal.

Within his body, Minato felt the Sea of Souls stirring. Power and ancient beasts roused from their slumber, slinking their way to the front of his mind. He could tell their interest had been piqued by the phenomenon in front of them.

 _It's what is imprisoned within that matters._

He wondered what Apophis sensed inside of it. It had not been afraid, but there was an element of apprehension and uneasiness that made him raise his guard slightly.

Next to him, Raynare sank her face into her palms. "The Boosted Gear. The Sacred Gear that houses Draig, the Great Welsh. One of thirteen Longinus-class weapons capable of killing God himself." She gave the beamin Issei a look of dread. "And now it is in the hands of a Devil." She sighed. "I really really really should have made sure you stayed dead."

Issei cackled. "That's right, you stupid Fallen. Let's have a rematch! I'll wipe the floor with you!"

"That would not be fair fight," he said from the side, "considering she has lost her powers."

Issei looked at him. Then at Raynare, who was turning red, then back at him.

"WHAT? You mean she's basically a _human_ now?" He asked gleefully. "That Angel messed you up good. That's karma for you."

Raynare was shaking with anger. But she could not lash out. Not without the powers that had once backed up her words, and not when the person who had sealed them was sitting next to her.

"Oh yeah, speaking of which, Arisato-san. Buchou said you weren't an Angel. But you had those Angel wings! That was so cool, by the way, but how come you have them? Are you sure you're not an Angel?"

"Yes I am sure."

Issei looked disappointed. "Oh. Damn. I was hoping you were an Angel."

He raised an eyebrow at him. "You wish for us to be enemies?"

Issei froze, understanding the implications of his previous words. He raised his arms and desperately denied it. "No, that's not what I meant at all!" His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I just thought... that it would be kinda cool... you know... the three of us from all three factions eating lunch together, even if I don't like Raynare very much."

Minato stopped eating, and his eyes settled on Issei as he fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze. Raynare scoffed, "as if that would ever happen."

"Unlikely," he agreed with her, but then smiled sincerely at Issei, "but I would think that would be cool, too."

Issei glanced at his watch. "Oh crap! Buchou called a meeting to plan our training and I'm late! See you later Arisato-kun!" He waved towards him, and then promptly gave Raynare the finger. "Hope you die, _bitch_."

As he ran out, amidst Raynare's reply of cuss words, he only heard one thing.

An existence that suddenly reared its metaphysical head, dwarfing the rest that had been intrigued by the Boosted Gear. He could feel that its presence unsettled the rest, and he could feel legendary beasts and creatures retreat away back into the depths of the Sea.

Jormungand, the serpent whose length was said to be montrous eneough to circle the world.

Ladon, the Greek dragon whose scales and hide was so strong even Hercules could not fight it on an even ground.

Ryujin, the Shinto god of the sea, whose very breath could create tsunamis large enough to sink islands.

It was like a pack of hyenas giving way upon the sighting of a lion. They would never admit to fleeing, but he would call it as he saw it. Even Apophis was affected by the newcomer's presence, and it hissed angrily at it before fading back into the shadows.

He confronted the being in his mind. It stopped in its tracks.

 **That boy.**

 **And the entity that he hosts in that bejeweled cage.**

 **Should you ever meet either one of them in battle.**

 **You will call on me.**

 **And I will face them.**

 **And then I will show them their place.**

And then as quick as it came, it vanished, leaving him alone in his mindscape.

"Hellooo? You're blanking out. Are you talking to... one of the things in you?"

Raynare's words brought him back to reality.

"Yes. It was... not a pleasant conversation."

"...I see." Clearly Raynare had not expected him to answer in such a straightforward manner.

"Raynare," he asked her, "what Issei mentioned. Do you think it's possible? For the Factions to settle their differences?"

"We live long lives. And by 'we', I mean _everyone in the supernatural world_. Our history, like yours, is littered with strife and conflict. But unlike you, the grudges and bad blood does not get erased with every generation. When you have a bunch of old men with nothing to do, the negative feelings only fester. So the grudges between factions runs deep. So no. Realistically speaking, I do not believe we will ever settle our differences. You should prepare yourself. If you insist on being my keeper, you are going to earn yourself some enemies."

He sighed. Raynare was not wrong, even if she was calling the glass half-empty. Hopefully, Issei would never become one such enemy. The boy would not come out of it alive.

* * *

 **A/N: Like I said, not much action :/, but a necessary chapter in my opinion. But there was that little Persona speech at the back, so that counts for something right?**

 **Anyway, a few things to note. Firstly, the Excalibur Arc will come before Rias' wedding arc. This is to facilitate multiple things of course. Excalibur Arc allows Minato to interact more with the Fallen, which was the first Faction I wanted him to interact with. Rias' wedding will come after that. So don't get your knickers in a knot when you realise the timeline doesn't flow next chapt, okays? On that note, this sequence of events also means the Devils will get some background knowledge of Minato during the wedding, which is always good to add some excitement to the Rating Game. (which he may or may not be part of, wait and see ;)). Also on that note, after the next two arcs, things are _really_ going to branch out from canon. After Heaven and the Peace Conference, we'll really dive into other mythologies and pantheons.**

 **Anyway, sorry if the chapter bored you, I'll try to make the next one more exciting, but it's mainly going to be the intro of Excalibur arc, so don't get your hopes up.**

 **P.S. Don't forget to review, fav, follow, PM me if you liked my story and have anything to say! Once again, a big shout out to Shaded for being an awesome person to discuss things with!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: New chapt! Still not a _super exciting_ chapter, but the there is _some_ action, and it will only get better from here on out. So, this chapter marks the start of the Excalibur Arc. Exciting stuff. Anyway, thanks to Shaded for Beta-ing 3**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

Fingers pressed against the glass he watched the train enter the station. As usual, nobody came out and nobody went in. The city was devoid of life, but he still enjoyed looking at it. The nostalgia was one factor, but he just found the giant model city below him fascinating to watch.

"You've been standing here for a while now. Something on your mind?"

He shifted his head slightly to look at the newcomer.

As usual, his modesty was only protected by a white piece of cloth that covered his groin and parts of his chest. Twin horns protruded from the side of his head, where his red tousled hair draped all the way to his back. There was a small smile on his handsome and youthful face, and Minato smiled back.

"No. Just trying to remember my past, that's all."

"Ah yes. Your memories. They are still missing, most of them, at least. But it seems they have started to return to you."

He nodded. They had. Small slivers here and there returned to him every night now.

Names. Faces. Places.

He remembered Iwatodai Dormitory, and how Junpei would come to his room almost every other night to talk about the most random of topics and convince him to partake in his latest shenanigans.

Then there was Gekkoukan Highschool, where Yukari would insist they walk together to every morning. He had not understood why she did not like it when he started bringing Mitsuru along on their daily strolls.

Mitsuru. His memories of her were the most numerous and vivid. Their rare and private moments of affection. The few times they walked around Port Island on dates, where he insisted on paying even though she was the heiress of the Kirijo Group.

Then he remembered something, and gave Lucifer an unpleasant look.

"Why did none of you tell me? That we are in a completely different world."

It had come as quite a shock to him. He had tried searching for the Kirijo Group, and Port Island itself, but his attempts all returned empty-handed. They did not exist, even though he was certain they did. Then he remembered Red's words, and how it had implied that it was the one that let him come to this place. By 'place', he initially assumed it meant Kuoh. Now he knew that the entity meant it in a much larger scale. He was in a world different from his previous one, and the Personas in him must have known, but none saw fit to tell him.

Then Angel-turned-Fallen-turned-Devil tilted his head. "You did not ask."

"And would you have told me? If I had asked?"

"No. You were not ready. You still are not."

The corners of his lips dipped downwards. Lucifer was being his usual presumptuous self. "That is not for you to decide."

"Perhaps not. But when every single Persona here has unanimously agreed to keep your past from you, there really isn't anything you can do."

"Why?" He almost demanded. "What is with all this secrecy?"

"Ignorance is bliss. You may not like it, but there is a degree of truth in those words. Your memories are far from complete. But the more you rediscover, the less you wish you had learnt. If you think that your life was a happy one, and that you gained us through experiences of joy and love, you are wrong. Most of us here, we were born from your suffering. Your pain. Your tenacity that pulled you through that pain and suffering is what makes you who you are today. But you did not undergo that ordeal at once. The hurt came in waves. You had time to recover from each setback, and emerged stronger every time you were knocked down. That allowed you to challenge more, to face even the greatest falls but still stand up proud."

He kept silent, letting the Lucifer's words sink in. He had suspected as much. Power came at a cost, and clearly he had paid much.

"Do you honestly think you will be able to take all that hardship and anguish at once? You will break. That much I can say with certainty. You taught us patience. You taught us acceptance. You taught us to know our limits. Now allow us to do what we think is best for you."

"How much am I missing? In terms of years?"

"Several thousand." Lucifer said frankly, "the memories you have recovered. Those of your friends and the more mundane aspects of your life on that tiny island. It does not even scratch the tip of the iceberg. The true ordeal lies afterwards. The only reason why you even have those memories in the first place is because you kept clinging to them. They stayed with you until the end, a testament to the bonds you had built."

His breath hitched in his throat. "Several thousand?" He could not help but repeat the words he had been told. He thought back to the memories that had already been returned to him. They were hazy and blurry. He thought it had been a side effect of amnesia. But now, he knew they were so vague simply because he had forgotten most of them. It was like asking a hundred year old man to recall his childhood. Except according to Lucifer, it was several tens of times worse.

Lucifer nodded sadly. "Yes. Can you imagine? Thousands of years worth of torture hitting your mind at once. You will not survive."

"You can't just tell me that and expect me to accept it. I... _need_ to know. Maybe not everything, but at least something that will give some closure."

To his surprise, Lucifer had an air of resignation around him.

"I thought as much. You have always been like this. Never one to sit idle when something could be done. We do not fault you, it is what makes you so endearing to many of us. It is what drew us to you, and what drove us to pledge our eternal support to you."

He took a step back at the sudden candidness of Lucifer.

"Walk with me." Lucifer said as he turned away and began to walk, his footfalls non-existent.

Struggling to catch up with the larger man, Minato quickened his pace, and when they were finally side-by-side, he asked, "where are we going?"

"You wanted to see what happened right?" Lucifer looked down and responded. "Well, I'm going to show you."

* * *

The walk was mainly accompanied in silence between the two of them. Around them, Tartarus was alive with activity, with all kinds of Personas milling about.

Some were doing everyday-things. He spotted Hades walking Cerberus, and they exchanged pleasantries. The three-headed dog had been ecstatic at his presence, tugging at the leash the Greek God was holding.

Others were lazing around. Many were simply leaning against the walls, or seated wherever possible, engaged in their own conversations. But whenever he walked past, they would stop what they were doing and acknowledge him with a nod. For some, looks of curiosity and doubt would linger for a few moments afterwards, as though they knew where he was going and did not approve. In fact, they probably did.

Then he would walk past the occasional spectacle. An explosion rocked the tower and two figures sailed past him, one clad in gold, the other in black, lightning cackling around them as both had their hands around the other's throats.

"Never mind them," Lucifer had been unfazed. "Loki and Thor are always fighting. They will settle their brother's spat sooner or later. We must continue. The tower is very vast, and what you seek may be quite far away."

He gave the dust cloud that was the pair of Norse Gods an uncertain second look before hurrying to Lucifer.

"How big is Tartarus?" He asked.

"Two hundred and sixty-four floors, not including the basement and some secret locations," was Lucifer's reply.

Minato stopped moving. Lucifer, realising he was walking alone, came to a halt as well. "What? We don't have all day."

"How far away is the place you are taking me?"

Lucifer gave him a smile. "What are you talking about? You're the one that's leading us, do you not realise?"

He gave the man a strange look, to which the Angel replied, "I have merely walked besides you, rarely in front. You seem to instinctively know where you want to go. Of course, that is to be expected. This is your soul, after all, and it will restructure itself to suit your needs."

"Restructure?" He asked quizzically.

"Back when you first climbed this tower in our original world, it was a whimsical thing. It's floors and rooms would seemingly reorganise itself between every climb, making navigation _very_ difficult. Even if the Tartarus we're standing in now is merely a fake, it has not lost that ability. However, as a manifestation of your soul, you should have some degree of control over its Labyrinth-like nature."

He frowned. "I don't even know where we are going, how do you expect me to lead us through this shape-shifting mess?"

Lucifer pointed to the path in front of them. "Follow your heart and your instincts. It is what you have always done, and it has yet to fail you. Let your legs lead you, not your eyes nor your mind."

Unsteadily, he put one leg forwards. Then another. Step by step, they continued on their path.

As he walked, he found himself thinking about the being next to him. It was odd how he chose to constantly appear in his Angel form, but not his Devil or Fallen form, but yet call itself Lucifer.

"Perhaps conversation will help. My mind will not be able to influence my gut sense if it is engaged in dialogue."

The Angel gave him a coy smile. "If you want to ask me a question, go ahead. I do not bite. I merely incinerate things with the holy wrath of Heaven."

He ignored the last part, knowing the Angel was joking.

"Why are you always in your Angel form?"

"Because it is the most pleasant to talk to. My Fallen self does not like conversation. He treats every exchange like a game, a battle between wits, and he does not like losing. Depending on the situation, he will honey his words with sweet lies and seduce you to commit the most heinous of acts. Or he may simply assault you with a barrage of toxic words and convince you to end your pitiful existence by your own hand. Either way, conversation with him is rarely fruitful. And don't get me started on my Devil self. The only thing that comes out of its mouth are primal roars of hatred and fireballs. Neither are fond with making small talk, and so they do not mind letting me be in control for matters like this."

When put that way, it suddenly made sense, and he felt silly for asking, but that former question was only meant to be a build-up for the next one. "Then why do you call yourself Lucifer, and not Helel?"

For a moment, the Angel kept silent and Minato was afraid he had offended him.

"A name is more than something you call someone. It's a story - a narrative. Just like how the name Lucifer can send fighters fleeing from the battlefield, the name Helel has power behind it." The Angel finally responded, but kept his face forward the whole time, refusing to look at him. "When Father created me, he gave me that name, and my life was written for me the very moment I was born. I was the oldest, the first of the Angels, God's right-hand-man himself. All that came after me would look up to me, and aspire to be just like me. I was incorruptable, untaintable, the very definition of pure. Such was my righteousness and devotion that the word Helel became synonymous with virtue and faithfulness. I was supposed to be untouchable, infallible."

The Angel sounded a little sad as he recounted his past, and Minato knew why.

"But yet you did. You still Fell, and even worse, you sold your soul to Satan himself to become Lucifer. You became the Seventh Prince."

"Indeed. I Fell the hardest. Sunk to a depravity that even my Fallen brothers refused to acknowledge me. I became the exact opposite of what I initially strove to be, the opposite of what Helel was supposed to stand for. Helel would not have Fallen. But Lucifer did. And so even now, with holy energy coursing through my veins and twelve white wings furled up inside me, I still cannot call myself Helel, because I am not worthy. For I perpetrated sins that Helel was never supposed to. I like to see it as my final act of faith, that instead of sullying the name Father gave me, i discarded it, leaving it as pure as it was the day it was created. Perhaps one day, I might find myself worthy enough to wear it again." His eyes twinkled, "or maybe I'll even pass the mantle on to someone else."

"Do you regret it? Falling, becoming a Devil?"

The Angel smiled. "Not even once."

The firm finality of Lucifer's tone made it clear he wanted no more conversation of the topic. He respected the Angel's wishes. Even Personas were entitled to the right of privacy.

The rest of the journey remained in uncomfortable silence. He noticed the more they walked - taking random turns and stairs his legs felt like taking - the more the atmosphere changed.

The air became frigid, and a thin layer of ice seemed to coat their surroundings. His breath became visible, his misty exhalations adding to the ambient fog that seemed to become thicker the deeper they went. The Personas had changed as well. There was no more friendly and boisterous chatter. Even the nature of those that dwelt here were different. They were not the outgoing type, and leaned more towards the dark instead of the light. There were no smiles, no nods.

Mordred, the Traitorous Prince, gave him a cold stare. His fingers trailed along the edge of Clarent, the blade a demonic caricature of its once pristine and pure form. The red stains of his father's blood still tainted the once-holy blade.

Sitting upon an icy chunk of debris, an attractive black-haired woman waved to him, smiling lecherously as he walked past her. He knew the long-haired body Kikuri-Hime wore was only an illusion, and that what lay beneath was a Dragon Goddess that could match Kohryu in strength.

The "clip-clop" sound of a trotting horse caused him to turn. In the fog a distance away, he could make the vague outline of a figure sitting on a horse. Sensing his curiosity, an icy wind blew, and the mist momentarily cleared. A grey horse, so skinny its ribs were nearly protruding out if its skin. The blood-red eyes of the beast stared into him. Its rider wore a cloak with its hood raised, and all that could he see was its skeletal face and the long scythe that sat on its lap. The mist returned, and the Pale Rider, Bringer of the Apocalypse disappeared from view.

He knew none of them meant him any harm, but neither were they capable of displaying affection. Their natures, like the area he was in, were cold and unforgiving. Affection was not within their capabilities.

All of a sudden, his legs stopped moving. Lucifer walked up next to him. "We're here," was all he said.

He turned to face in front. A giant pair of metal doors blocked his way. They were frozen shut, but through the ice, he could see the ornate and elaborate design that had once symbolised the importance of the door. He could only imagine what was hidden behind it.

"Touch it," Lucifer coaxed. "See if you can feel it."

Hesitantly, he raised a lone arm, and began to walk closer towards the doors.

"This was once the most beautiful chamber in the whole tower." Lucifer began to look around, his face set in an expression of fondness as he reminisced about the past.

He fingers touched the cold surface of the frozen doors.

"It was warm, and bright. Coming here made us naturally want to smile, and even the most frozen of hearts thawed a little. It was here that I heard Death chuckle for the first time. It was not very pleasant, however."

At first, there was nothing. Then something began to seep into his body, and the sheer unfamiliarity of the sensation almost made him pull away, but he held on.

"And those doors weren't closed. They were wide open, and they always were. It was a magnificent room, yet beautifully simple at the same time."

It took him a while to understand what was going on in his body. They fought for his attention, two contrasting presences. He felt the malice first. It was hate incarnate, and even the slight trickle that had made it into his body was enough to make him think thoughts so dark that it could put some of the Personas that stalked this place to shame. It was poisoning him, and he could feel his own soul turn black, the tower becoming dimmer with every moment he embraced the darkness.

"The room only had one occupant, and he would always be there to welcome you. Just standing near him made you want to be a better person. No wonder the dark Personas detested him so much. It was here, in his presence, that I finally regained _these_." Lucifer recounted, and his white wings spread out behind him.

Within that negativity, amidst all the malevolence and venom, he found what Lucifer was talking about. A light so bright, even he felt like shirking away from it. The light was not holy in nature, and even Demons and Devils could bask in its glory without worry if they chose to. But yet, the sheer power and purity behind that light was unfathomable. He could feel all ill-intent wash away from him, and the malice and hatred that coated it was forgotten, and his mind was free from the dark influence. It made him feeling like _believing_. In what, he was not sure, but he could feel passion running through him like never before.

"You can feel it, can't you?" Asked Lucifer. "The conflict _He_ is facing."

He looked in Lucifer in disbelief. "Can I see Him?" He put a tentative hand on the door. Lucifer stopped him.

"Neither of you are ready to see the other. I told you, didn't I? The past few years have not been pleasant. This Persona in particular took a rather large brunt of the negativity. Give Him some time, he will recover soon."

Reluctantly, he pulled his hand back.

"I will wait." He finally said.

* * *

The smell of smoke and burnt things was what roused him from his sleep. That... had been an enlightening night. But now his mind was pressed on other matters as he heard all the cussing coming from outside.

He opened the door, still dressed in his pyjamas. He was not prepared for the scene in front of him.

Smoke billowed out from the oven as a frantic Raynare, her apron messily worn, tried to extract out the contents with her bare hands. The cussing worsened, and she dropped the burning toasts in her hands on a plate. She turned around, huffing and puffing, a look of dissatisfaction on her face when she saw the black piece of bread. Then she saw him, and an irritated look took over.

"You didn't wake up when I knocked on your door."

"So you decided to burn down the house?" He asked incredulously.

She glowered at him. "I was hungry. And _somebody_ wasn't up yet to cook breakfast. So I decided to give it a go."

"Breakfast." He said, then pointing at the charred mess in front of him. "You mean this?"

He looked at the plate on the table. The bread was clearly burnt. But that was not the only thing on the plate. The ham looked raw, and were those eggshells in the scrambled egg?

She must have seen his repulsed look.

"It looked easy..." She said defensively. "Anyway, if you don't like it, you can just throw it away and cook it yourself."

He grabbed a chair and sat down. He eyed the food warily. He noticed Raynare watching him with the corners of her eyes. Resigned, he took the bread and bit it.

He blanched. It was as bad as he thought it would be, even worse.

"We need to talk." She said all of a sudden, while looking at her own serving with trepidation.

"About what?" He asked, taking a generous amount of water to help swallow his food.

"About... _everything._ "

"Hmm..." he thought about it, "that might take a while, let me settle something first."

He got up, and walked to the window. Since he woke up, he had been experiencing a nagging feeling he was being watched. He trusted his instincts and peered outside, where Kuoh Park was in plain view.

If it was something supernatural that was observing him, he wouldn't be able to pinpoint the source of his uneasiness. So he would have someone else do it.

Immediately, the young girl responded in his mind, an excited grin on her face. He surrendered control over his body to her, content to sit in the passenger seat for now. An influx of information flooded his mind as his senses were suddenly overloaded. His eyes became as keen as a falcon's. His sense of smell sharpened to be that of a wolf's. His hearing became as sensitive as a bat's and he could hear every single detail of Raynare's next few words even though he was not paying attention. Every nuance, every emphasis, every after-breath was made absolutely clear to him.

"Hey, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're going to spit out the food outside?"

This was how Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, tracked her prey. She would find any sign of their existence, and follow their trail. She would stalk them, lying in wait for hours, before unleashing her attack at the opportune moment. And now whoever was watching them from the shadows would be her next target.

She found the culprit immediately.

She frowned at the his sloppiness. He had used only magic to cover his tracks, suppressing his signature while using a third-rate illusion to hide himself. It had been no fun, for her sight could pierce through even the most elaborate of magical veils.

A sinister grin overtook the frown as a bow appeared in her hands. Raynare breathed in sharply from shock.

"Wha-" The look of focus on the Goddess' face silenced her. In moments like this, only the Goddess and her prey existed. Everything else was a distraction. So Raynare watched in terrified curiosity from the side.

The bow was made of divine silver, blessed by her predecessor, the gentle Titan Selene, when she had took over the role of riding the moon chariot. It hummed with energy, and silvery wisps rolled off its edge. She pulled back the drawstring of the unloaded bow.

The hues of smoke gathered in the centre, and a single silver arrow formed, already nocked onto the bow, its feathered end latched to the string. The sharp end was unconventional, and its design was more symbolic than practical. Twin points jutted out from the shaft, and he realised that it was a crescent moon that was attached at the end of the rod. The arrow was not meant to pierce, but to slice. That made it perfect for this case, as his intention was never to kill. This arrow would hurt more, but it was less likely to pierce any important organs. Still, he reminded the deity controlling his body not to kill the target.

He could feel her scowling, but she complied, and he saw the tip of the arrow lower by the slightest of margins.

 _Breathe in._

 _Breathe out._

 _Breathe in._

 _Breathe out._

Her fingers released the string, and the arrow leaped off, whizzing through the air with such speed it left a silver glittery after-trail.

She must have hit the target because she nodded satisfactorily, and the bow vanished. His senses dulled, and Artemis sunk back to the Sea of Souls.

He flexed his fingers as he regained control of his body.

"What was that?" Asked Raynare, her eyes still wide with awe and fascination. "That wasn't an Angel, or a Devil for that matter."

"No, it wasn't" he agreed. But before she could ask anymore questions, "stay here," he instructed her. And then he walked out the door to see who Artemis had shot, still wearing his pyjamas.

* * *

Carrying an unconscious body over his shoulder back home had not been fun, and the strange looks people were giving him made him feel unnaturally self-conscious.

The man had passed out from the shock of being hit and falling off the tree he was hiding in. Apollo insisted on being the one to heal him since it was his sister that had inflicted the injury. The cut on his thigh had been deep and, as a testament to Artemis' marksmanship, only missed an artery by a milimetre. The bruise on his head from the fall had been quite grotesque as well. But Apollo had done his job well, and the man looked good as new, if one were to discount his bloody pants and knocked-out state.

"That's Dorian!" Raynare said in recognition as he dragged the limp body in.

"You know him?" He asked in surprise.

She nodded, while looking him. "He's part of Kokabiel's forces, a scout."

"Well, he watching us. So I guess that means Kokabiel knows about us then."

For a moment where Raynare bit her lip. "What are we going to do with him? I know places where-"

He rolled his eyes. "We're not going to _kill_ him."

Raynare looked genuinely stupefied. "We're not? But..."

"I'm going to talk to him. And then I'll decide what to do next. I'll probably let him go afterwards."

"Are you sure? He'll definitely tell Kokabiel everything."

He gave her a playful smile. "What's he going to tell him? That I'm good with a _bow and arrow_? We'll learn more from him than the other way round. I'm not fond of killing anyway."

The mystified expression on her face did not go away.

"You don't kill? You have all that power but yet you'd rather take the effort to spare them than to end their miserable lives? You could do it faster than they could _blink_!" She exclaimed.

He frowned. "And that's why I don't do it. Even more so because of how easy it is. When you simplify it to an on-off switch, you lose sight of the value of life."

She did not appear convinced. "But..."

"I spared you, didn't I?"

She did not have a response, nor the time to give one.

"He's waking up," he told her.

The newly-identified Dorian began to regain lucidity. He blearily opened his eyes, mumbling incoherently as he did so.

"Ugh..." he blinked slowly and looked around, confused by the unfamiliar surroundings. "Raynare?" He inhaled deeply when he saw the Fallen staring at him from her seat.

She pointed at Minato, who gave the man a look-over.

"You!" Dorian shouted, finger aiming accusingly at him. "You shot me!"

"Yes I did." He said. "With a bow and arrow, too," he added with a smile.

The man flinched at the memory. He looked to Raynare. "This is the guy? The one you told Kokabiel-sama you were keeping an eye on because he had an unusual Sacred Gear?"

She nodded.

Dorian looked unconvinced. He looked around the place, taking particular note of the set for two on the table. "Is this how you keep an eye on people? It really looks like you're actually... having a genuine relationship with him." And suddenly he burst out laughing, "Ha! Raynare, you've been _domesticated_!"

The look of horror on her face was almost worth playing along with. "It is nothing like that." He clarified for the girl, who was growing red with every moment. "She simply needed a place to stay after I destroyed the church."

The man looked like he had a revelation. "That was _you as well?_ Kokabiel was worried that you'd all _died_ when he came to visit two days ago." He could feel his eyebrows rise at the statement. Kokabiel was here? Then the man looked baffled again. "Wait, if he trashed the church, why are you living with him? And what happened to the rest?"

Raynare thought for a moment, and she fibbed, "they are looking for another place to use as our headquarters. As for why I'm staying with him... there isn't a better position to observe him from."

Raynare was a good actress, he would give her that. Dorian looked completely sold. "That's true," he said while nodding his head, "and you don't mind she's spying on you?" This time the question was directed at him.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "She cooks for me."

The man looked at their half-eaten breakfast. Then at him. Then for good measure, back again at the meal.

"Whatever, I won't judge your taste."

"Dorian." Raynare's tone showed she meant business. "Why were you spying on us? Does Kokabiel-sama no longer trust me?"

At seeing her threatening look, Dorian desperately shook his head in denial.

"No, no! At least, I don't think so. He seemed worried. Whether for your health or not is up for debate. But he just wanted me to check on you. It was really hard to find you by the way, how'd you manage to suppress your signature until even I couldn't pick it up? It was a lucky coincidence I saw you leaving that school your previous target was from."

Raynare paled slightly. Clearly she did not want to talk about her sealed state. "Like I said," she pointed at him, "he has an unusual Sacred Gear."

Dorian looked at him seriously, as though it was his first seeing him. "I can't sense anything from him either. You sure he's not a normal human?"

"Are you stupid?" Snapped Raynare. "He shot you out of a tree from hundreds of metres away with a _bow and arrow. What part of that is normal_? And like i just said, he has an unusual Sacred Gear. That's why I haven't killed him. In fact, I can't even confirm it's a Sacred Gear."

"Oh." Was Dorian's intelligent response. Minato felt sorry for him. Raynare had a very bad temper.

"Nevertheless," he interrupted, letting his thoughts be known, "I do not appreciate it when people infringe on my privacy."

There was a flash of fear in Dorian's eyes. He held up his hands defensively. "Wait, wait! I'm merely a messenger! A lowly grunt following his orders, please don't kill me!"

Raynare sneered. "You'd already be dead if he wanted your life. Count yourself lucky, Dorian, that he's in a good mood today."

He frowned at Raynare, upset that she had spoken in his place, and so out-of-character as well. She gave him an all-too-sweet smile in return.

The man began to grovel before him. "Oh thank you for your mercy! I'll do anything you ask me to do!" He took a few steps back, not liking Dorian to be so close.

Raynare gave him a look that said _'you're welcome'_. Even so, he would not let such an opportunity go to waste. He got to one knee and looked at the submissive Fallen straight in the eye.

"Pass a message to your leader for me. Tell Kokabiel that if he wants to talk, we will do it in a civilised manner tomorrow, at five. Tell him to meet me at the park. I will be alone, he can bring whoever he likes. And in return, he will not send anymore people to disturb me."

The man nodded frantically, and Minato tapped him hard on the back. Raven feathered wings erupted out, and the man flew out the window, no doubt in a hurry to deliver the message to Kokabiel.

As Raynare watched the fading silhouette, he got back to his seat and stared at the unappetising meal. There was no reason to waste it, even if it tasted inedible.

"So Raynare," he said between forced bites, "what did you want to talk about again?"

For a moment, the black-haired girl seemed lost, as if unable to recall their previous conversation. Then she straightened up, and a look that bothered on irritation was directed at him.

" _This_." She jabbed at the food he was eating.

"How can you be so _calm_? How can you continue to eat this disgusting excuse of a breakfast after what just happened? I mean, hello? Kokabiel _knows_. He's onto us, and he has people watching _me_ , watching _you_. We're talking about a man who would love nothing more than to start a Second Great War over here!"

He looked at her.

Ah. It was not irritation. It was frustration, with traces of fear buried inside of it as well.

"I do not like wasting food," he finally said, before forcing himself to swallow another portion. The trick, he realised, was to not chew it, and hence reduce the amount of time he needed to taste the abomination.

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me? There's honestly something _wrong about you_!" She stomped her foot while yelling.

"How so?"

"You honestly can't tell?"

"Do explain," he prompted her.

"Let's start from the top then," She took a deep breath, and then released it in a dramatic gesture, words spilling out of her mouth nonstop, "less than a month ago, you wake up with _zero memories_ , and with a bunch of superpowered beings in your brain. Fast forward one week. _You died_. And then you come back to life, dominated a group of Fallen, and discovered a supernatural world you were never aware existed. Then you meet a Faction Leader, who dumps a girl to become your responsibility, which might I add, is the same girl who _killed you_. And to top it all off, a traitorous megalomaniac has now showed interest in you. And yet despite all this, you act like you're a completely normal high school student."

"But-" he wanted to argue back.

"-You don't even lock the front door for Heaven's sake!" She cried out exasperatedly.

He watched her inhale and exhale, the outburst having taken its toll on her lungs.

And then he saw things from her perspective. The past few days, he realised, must have been completely out of her comfort zone. She'd been a Fallen Angel for centuries, and would have grown accustomed to the power and the authority the position gave her.

Then one day, he showed up and stripped away everything she owned. Of course she'd be stressed, and must have been bottling up her feelings over the past week. But he was also slightly glad at the fact that she'd chosen to rant to him, and not done anything rash. It meant she trusted him slightly.

"Would it help?" He asked.

"Would what help." She replied, looking away. She seemed more lifeless now that she had released all that pent-up energy.

"If you saw me freaking out. Or panicking. Or being paranoid. Overwhelmed by the series of events that happened over this month."

There was a moment of hesitation. "No." She confessed, "it would not help."

"Then?"

"But this isn't about me! This is about you! It's about _how_ you can remain so calm with all this shit that's going on! Like are you genuinely unfazed by all this or are you putting up a brave act?"

He let her words sink in. He was not afraid. Uneasy, perhaps. But frightened? Not in the slightest. There was no reason to be. Kokabiel did not scare him, not when beings that could crush him with a finger walked the hallways of his mind. But the same could not be said for Raynare. The frantic look in her eyes told him she was terrified of the rogue Grigori. Not that he could ever say that to her face, of course.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. Not when I have faced worse." He doubted anything he would face against Kokabiel could match the malice that was locked in _that room_.

"When? ... Right. The people in your head. I forgot." She looked dazed. "I'm living under the same roof with the original Lucifer, some other Seraphim, a prodigious archer, and a seventeen-year-old boy." She dug her palms into her face. "This is not what I Fell for."

That last statement aroused his curiosity. "What _did_ you Fall for?"

Judging by her silence, he had not yet earned enough of her trust to gain an answer.

* * *

The park was quiet. He had seen nobody else while walking in. Thirty minutes had passed and he was still sitting on the same bench, and still there was not a soul in sight.

He wondered if this was Kokabiel's doing.

He had tried calling Azazel, but the man had not picked up. He left him a text to tell him about what happened.

Raynare had been uneasy about letting him go alone, though he was fairly certain she was more worried by the fact that she would be left alone at home. He had left Cerberus and Orthrus with her as company, and to warn him in the event something did happen. When he left, the Fallen was still trying to get over the fact that the two puppy-sized dogs were mythological beasts that could swell to the size of a building if they wanted.

He wondered if she was playing with them now. They were bored, being constantly leashed up in the Tower.

His musings were interrupted by a small breeze blowing from behind him.

"You are a very patient person, Arisato Minato. Thirty minutes you have sat here, and you've yet to move a muscle. Patience is a good skill to master."

So Kokabiel had arrived. And from what he could sense, alone as well. That was a good sign.

"It is not nice to keep others waiting." Thirty minutes of his life was wasted. He still needed to do the assignments the teacher gave out earlier. Then again, he could probably copy from Raynare. She was so ahead of the class that even the teacher did not know what to do, and had simply given her the rest of the year's work to occupy herself with.

It was a man's voice, but when Kokabiel walked past him, he thought the Fallen was female. He was slim, and his slender body walked by with an inhuman grace. His long black hair reached his waist and was as smooth and glossy as the most the most beautiful of female models.

His defined features were accentuated by his creamy and flawless skin. Blood red lips matched his eyes as he spoke, "I apologise. I merely wanted to see if you were being sincere in your offer."

"And what did you see?"

"An enigma."

He gave Kokabiel a puzzled look. The Fallen helped himself to the seat next to him.

"Your body language speaks highly of your confidence. Yet, I did not sense any power within you to back it up. Dorian tells me of your skill with a bow, yet you are unarmed. Lastly, you seem protective of Raynare, and yet you so willingly leave her at home with your pet dogs. They are cute, by the way. Five heads but only two bodies, I wonder where you got them from."

Kokabiel was watching Raynare. That thought bothered him. "Do you intend to hurt her?"

He gave a short laugh, but shook his head. "No. Why should I? If anything, I should be the one to be punished. I fed her lies, manipulated her feelings of loyalty to Azazel to serve my own goals. She is not my target, nor are the other three, wherever they have chosen to scatter themselves."

"You know where they are?" Neither he nor Raynare had heard from Kalawarner, Dohnaseek or Mittelt. They had gone off the grid.

"Currently? No. They split up, going from place to place, hiding under a different alias each time. They say they're trying to lie low from the supernatural world. They also blamed ' _that blue-haired_ _kid'_."

Kokabiel looked at him.

He looked back, undaunted.

"Coincidentally, I realise you are an adolescent male with a shade of hair colour that can only be described as azure."

He shrugged. "It's a big world. Many people have blue hair."

Kokabiel smiled wryly. "Yes. Anybody could be the person they were talking about."

"This is not what you are here to talk to me about, is it?"

"No, it is not. Let us drop that matter for now. Instead, I am certain some people may have told you some things about me."

"A little bird called you a megalomaniac. Another called you a traitor."

"Ah," he seemed unaffected. "By the way, I know Azazel talked to you. I have people watching him, which is why I also know he's been snooping around."

He tried not to react visibly. "And? What are you going to do?"

Kokabiel looked oddly pleased with himself. "I left a false trail that led to a den of succubi. He has not left in two in days. He will not expect me to make my move so soon, so it should still be another few days before you'll be able to hear from him, and that's excluding the time he'll need to recover from the experience."

That... was not what he had been expecting. So Azazel was a pervert. That was not a complete surprise when he considered how the man fell in the first place. If he was trapped in a whole den of succubi... it would be a few days before he would regain his vitality. So Azazel was out of the picture.

"Two weeks," Kokabiel raised two fingers. "Two weeks and this world will see war on a scale never seen before. All the Factions will fight, and it will make the previous Great War look like a water balloon fight."

"You seem very confident that your plan will work." He tried sounding unafraid, but the sheer faith Kokabiel had put into his words had shaken him to the core.

"It will. The gears have already been set in motion. Years of groundwork and planning have led to this moment. There was no possible way this plan would have failed a few weeks ago."

"A few weeks ago?" The man had clearly emphasised the last bit.

Kokabiel ignored his soft question, and continued to speak. "I hijacked the magical sensors the Devils had installed into the city before we even started. That is how I have been able to move my troops into here freely without hindrance. They tell me everything, and the forged reports I have sent to the Devil leaders have redirected their attention."

The army was already here. Kokabiel could strike at any moment. That was what the Fallen was trying to tell him.

"But not all the pieces are in place yet, there are still a few tasks I need done before I can get every Faction embroiled into this war. It will start with a small spark, but the line of fuse will lead to a barrel of gunpowder so large the world will never be the same."

"Something happened, and now you're unsure if whatever took place might affect your plans."

"You're partially right. It's just that it _definitely_ _will_ affect my plans. In fact, it already has."

Perplexed, Minato gave him a blank look.

Kokabiel gestured to the two of them. "Which part of my secret perfect plan did you think I would announce it to a random high school teenager?"

"Oh."

" _Oh_." Kokabiel mocked. "Is that all you can say? You come in here, throw my plans into disarray, and all you can say is ' _Oh_ '? A 'sorry' would have been better," he muttered. He did not seem angry. It was a strange mix of frustration and amusement.

"But I am confused as to what I did."

Kokabiel did not looked convinced. "Is that so? Perhaps a few questions will jog your memory then. By any chance, do you happen to know any twelve-winged Angels?"

"Ah," he said in realisation, "that."

Kokabiel rolled his eyes, "yes, _that_. Did you know how much it shocked me when one of my underlings burst in, panicking as he told me the sensors picked up a Seraphim in the very church Raynare was using as a base?"

"I imagine you weren't very happy." He remarked dryly.

"Of course I wasn't! After that, Raynare dropped me some cryptic message about some new Sacred Gear User, and mentioned nothing about the Angel. Of course I got suspicious, and personally came down to check. Only to find that three of the four Fallen had abandoned their posts, and the sole remaining one was holed up with some random high school boy."

"So? What now?"

Kokabiel sighed. "The plan will continue on regardless. The next phase will begin soon. Have you not discovered something is amiss?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

Kokabiel laughed. "So suspicious. I would not drop so low as to do something behind your back when I have no grudge against you. No, the real question is, _why am I telling you all this_?"

He froze. Now that the Fallen had brought it up, it was a very good question. He had not coerced the man into giving up anything - Kokabiel told him everything out of free will. Revealing his plans would not help it come to fruition, it only created one more loose end.

Immediately, a list of Personas came to mind. He would not summon them yet, but he was ready to flex his might if need be.

"Relax. I have no intention of killing you. _Yet_. The real reason why I told you is simple." Kokabiel beamed at him and opened his arms wide, "I want you to try and stop me."

"What?" He asked incredulously.

"Of course, I can't have you babbling to everyone what I told you. So I'll tell you this right now. If I even _think_ that you've told someone about this, I'll set my forces on the whole of Kuoh immediately." He drew a sharp breath. Kokabiel meant every word. He could hear the sincerity and the ruthlessness in his voice. "I will probably still get my war, but now thousands of human lives would have been lost unnecessarily."

Kokabiel got up of his seat. Minato stood up and hurried over to him. "Wait. Why me?"

"You're human right?"

He nodded.

"That's why. Because I _adore_ humans."

* * *

 **A/N: Looks like I can consistently crank out about eight thousand words a week if work is slow. If I don't update on a somewhat weekly basis, it means I have a SUPER AWESOME CHAPTER planned, or work, or I got lazy. (Zelda Breath of the Wild DLC is coming out soon, so be prepared for a slow update.)**

 **As always, Read, Review, Fav/follow. I read every review, and try to respond to those I feel need responses. But if you want a definite response, drop me a PM, I'll definitely get back to you within a few days. Oh, those using the mobile app for FF, note that the inboxes for web and app are different, and I don't check app inbox often. (By the way, the app is awesome, the past two chapter have all been written on my phone. Sweet, huh.)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Next chapt guys! 10k words, just for you!**

 **Thanks Shaded for Beta-ing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:**

"Oh. You're alive." Raynare said with a trace of disappointment in her voice when he walked in through the door. She was scratching the two dogs, and they immediately sat up and leapt towards him when they saw him. He dismissed them back into his mind before they could scratch and drool all over his pants. "Does that mean Kokabiel is dead?"

"… No." He said. Why would she even think that?

"Huh. So you two really ended up just talking?" She made a strange face. "That's... boring. So, what did you think of him?"

He thought about it for a bit. He remembered Kokabiel's warning. "He's… eccentric."

Raynare laughed. "If you want to call him crazy it's fine. But even if it's you, you shouldn't let your guard down. He was never a Seraph in Heaven, but he's still crazy strong. Rumours have it he once fought Uriel to a standstill. Not to mention he was once God's most cunning strategist. When Heaven was fighting against the pagan gods, he was the one that led us to victory. Watch your toes around him, he's sure to have something planned."

He stopped. Within him, the Angels inside held their breaths. Uriel, in particular, was stunned. The Seraph was known for his prowess in battle. He was not as powerful as Metatron, or Michael, but what he lacked in firepower, he made up for in technique and tactics.

 _'When we meet this Kokabiel in battle, allow me to disabuse him of the notion that a ten-winged Fallen can challenge a Seraph.'_

He nodded internally. Then he realized Raynare was staring at him intently.

"Uriel," she breathed aloud. "I remember now, it was Uriel!"

He was confused. "I'm sorry?"

She pointed at him, eyes wide. "That familiar feeling I got when you did the Angel-wing thing in school. That was Lord Uriel! I would never forget that presence!"

It took him a moment to remember. Indeed, he recalled summoning Uriel to convince the Devils to let Raynare enroll. But to him, it had been ages ago, and he had long banished it to the back of his mind. It seems however, Raynare had not.

"But that's impossible… WHAT DID YOU DO?" She was shouting now, backtracking in fear.

He took a few steps forward, wanting to clarify things.

"Stay back!" A threatening hand shot out, "Don't move! Just stay there and explain! How? _Why is the power of a member of the High Council inside of you?_ "

"You do not question Lucifer's presence, but you are so astonished by Uriel's?" Denial was off the table, not when the girl was so stubbornly set on her correct deduction that he housed Uriel within him.

"Lucifer is _dead_. But some beings never truly die, and their spirits linger. It is possible for you to host him. But Uriel is different. _Uriel is alive_. I saw him. I saw him before I Fell, and Heaven would never be able to cover up the death of a High Seraph. They have duties, and many can vouch that Uriel has completed his personally without fail. So, _why is he inside of you_?"

He kept quiet for an instant, thinking about how to respond. "Raynare," he asked, mustering as much seriousness as he could, "can you keep a secret?"

The girl hesitated for a moment. She looked at him, and saw how grave he was. She nodded slowly. "I can."

It was fair, he supposed. If he wanted her to trust him, he would need to extend an olive branch first, and trust her as well.

"Then allow me to show you mine."

* * *

After the bombshell he had dropped on her last night, he was not surprised that she left for school first without him. At least she had been considerate enough to cook breakfast for him. Glancing at the half-open cookbook on the kitchen counter, he took a tentative bite of the toast.

She had improved at least, though there was still room for much more.

Sighing, he looked at the clock. He was going to be late if he did not hurry.

When he reached the gates of Kuoh Academy, something seemed a little off.

Perhaps it was the two girls standing in front of the compound. They were pointing at the school, talking to each other. One, like him, had shoulder-length blue hair, though the fringes were dyed green. She looked the more serious of the two. The other girl was more energetic, bouncing at the spot as she excitedly waved her hands about. Her chestnut-coloured hair was tied into long pig tails at the side, and flicked about from her movements.

Or perhaps it was the wrapped object that was hanging from the blue-haired girl's back. They were both dressed in a white cloak, but a sash across her shoulder kept whatever it was firmly on her back. It radiated energy, and he immediately knew they were part of the supernatural as well. The signature was faint, but it leaned towards the light, and he would go so far as to call it holy. Then he realized the other girl was giving off the same presence, and he tried to find the source. A small piece of string tied to her hand caught his attention.

They caught him looking, and they hurried over to him.

"Yes?" He asked.

They looked at his uniform. "You're from Kuoh Academy, right?" asked the long-haired one.

He nodded.

She pointed to the blue-haired one, then to herself, "she's Xenovia, and I'm Irina. We were hoping you could bring us inside. We'd like to speak to a Sona Shitori and a Rias Gremory."

If anything, that statement served to confirm his suspicion they were not here for mortal matters. He doubted they were Devils; the slight holy aura coming from them denounced that idea.

He narrowed his eyes at them. "What for?"

"Diplomatic reasons," they said in unison.

He considered it a bit. He was curious about the objects they were carrying, and should things go awry, he could always stick around to take responsibility for it.

"Come with me," he said, and began to walk towards the school building itself.

They smiled at him, and followed in his wake.

"So… where are you from?" He asked, wanting to break the ice.

"Europe."

"The Church."

They looked at each other and nodded, "the European Church."

That explained the aura of light though he wondered what business the Church had with Devils.

"Irina!" Xenovia lightly scolded, "can you act with more poise? We're here to act as ambassadors, yet you are skipping and prancing about! Act with more dignity, please."

The bubbly girl pouted, "I can't help it. When I heard from his parents that Issei-kun transferred to this school, I've been so excited to see him again that I can't control myself!"

He froze in his tracks. _Issei-kun_?

"I'm sorry," he clarified, "but I happened to overhear your conversation. You mean Hyoudou Issei?"

Irina stopped, looked at him, and suddenly dashed towards him, a wild look on her face.

"You know Issei-kun?!" She was ecstatic, and she was so close to him that he was leaning back to avoid contact.

"Yes. He's in my class. And he sits next to me."

"Oh My GOD! Tell me what he's like now! Is he tall now? Does he still like playing monkey bars? Wait, no," she shook her head, "he's seventeen like me, he would have outgrown that right? Wait, then what does he like now?" The girl was euphoric, and next to her, he saw Xenovia roll her eyes.

Should he disclose the fact that Issei was a pervert? Then he realized the bigger issue.

"You do know that Issei is a Devil, right?"

The dropped jaw clearly showed she had not.

* * *

They ended up making a detour to see Rias first instead of Sona, though it was more like Irina had demanded he take her to see Issei, which would include Rias by association.

"What is this place?" They looked up at the Old School Building with unease.

He empathised with them. Rias had given him a standing invitation to drop by the Occult Research Club building anytime he wanted, but the long walk and its ominous appearance had always discouraged him from doing so.

"It is the building Rias Gremory and her… Peerage occupy," he informed them, but had hesitated slightly as he tried to find the right word to describe the Gremory party.

Irina had a downcast look on her face. The news that Issei had been reincarnated into a Devil hit her hard. From what he had learnt, there was no going back, and he could see the disappointment that the girl was experiencing, having discovered her childhood friend had turned to the "dark side".

Of course, he had long since learnt that there was no such thing as good and evil. They were sides of the same coin. When perspectives and values clashed, one would always be labelled as the better.

He put aside his philosophical self-reflection and knocked on the door.

"Rias, it's me, Minato."

For a second, he thought no one was in. Then the door unlocked itself with a soft _click_ and a voice rang out.

"Come in Arisato-san, we were just getting ready to go to class."

So Rias was in, and going by what she said, so were the others.

Gently, he opened the door. He turned behind to the two-nervous looking girls. "Well?" He asked, "do you want to see them or not?"

They shared a look, before nodding together, and followed him in.

Despite the confidence he carried with him, he did not know what to expect from the interior of the building. If he were to judge based on appearance, he would be prepared for the inside to be dark and murky. There would be an infestation of cobwebs, and what little light would come from candles. There would be gruesome artefacts and he expected the furniture to be dusty and worn-out.

But he was not such a superficial person, so he would keep an open mind.

But even a mind as accepting as his did not comprehend what he was seeing. He turned around, to look at the door, to make sure he was not transported to some parallel world. He saw the flabbergasted faces of Irina and Xenovia, who were looking up and shifting their heads slightly to take in the entirety of the sight before them.

He could not blame them. He too, was rooted to the spot in awe. The colour red was everywhere. To be honest, he would have been less surprised if it was blood. But it was not. The floor was carpeted in the colour, and he could feel his shoes sink into the soft fabric. Was this how it felt like to walk on clouds?

The lobby was filled with antique furniture, all covered in red velvet. They looked expensive, with ancient wood varnished to the point he could see his own reflection in them. He saw Koneko sitting on one, and despite her small size, the chair embraced her, forming a perfect human-shaped mold that she fit snugly into.

Then there was the glass - no, crystal - chandelier that dangled from the ceiling. In fact, he was certain that there were a few gemstones mixed into the structure, with some rays of light falling on it emerging out as a different colour.

Good lord, the Devils had refurbished the dilapidated building to house a palace inside.

At the other end of the lobby, Rias walked down a giant staircase. She was dressed in her Kuoh uniform, and she smiled warmly when she saw him. He shifted his gaze slightly to the side to announce the presence of the guests behind him.

Immediately, she lowered her lips. It seemed she recognised them for who they were.

Akeno came out from a room holding a tray, which judging by the lone cup of tea on it, was a pantry or kitchen. She saw him, then frowned slightly as well when she registered the two girls behind him.

Immediately, she recovered her serene expression and smiled somewhat playfully.

"Ara ara, Minato-kun, I know we said our doors would be open for you," she teased, "but can you at least wait for us to leave before bringing girls over here to have your way with them?"

Was everything she said always vulgar? Behind him, the girls stiffened, and he turned to see Irina reddening.

"It's not like that!" She defended. "We were just asking for his help to find Rias Gremory!"

Xenovia nodded her head. "That's right. The boy was just being helpful. Besides, as Exorcists of the Church, we took a vow of maidenhood to keep our bodies pure. We would never engage in such perverse acts."

Akeno's face did not change, but now there was a slight glint of malice in her eyes that was not there before.

Xenovia's bold declaration caused what occupants that were in the lobby to focus on them. Koneko stopped eating. Kiba, who was writing on a desk, put down his pen and looked up. Issei and Asia were nowhere to be seen.

"So I guessed right," Rias said as she descended down the stairs. "You _are_ from the Church. I knew those robes were familiar." She crossed her arms, "so? What business does the Church have in Kuoh?"

In unison, they did a small curtsy. "We'd like to seek permission," announced Xenovia, "to reside in this town for the time being. The Church has lost something valuable, and we have strong reason to believe that it is in this vicinity."

Rias narrowed her eyes. She did not look happy. "Are you insinuating that we took it? That is a very bold claim."

Realising the misunderstanding, Irina shook her head wildly, causing the air around her to be a mess of hair. "No, that's not true at all!" She denied frantically. "It would have been impossible for a Devil to have taken them! They were kept in _very_ Holy vaults, and a Devil wouldn't even be able to _touch_ them!"

"Them?" Asked Rias. "What is it that was stolen?"

The girls looked at each other before huddling. He could hear the furious exchange of whispers.

Finally, they broke apart.

"The Excalibur Fragments. Three of them went missing from their vaults four days ago."

Rias gasped.

Akeno dropped her tray, and the cup of tea fell to the ground. The carpet kept the porcelain from shattering, but the liquid inside splashed all over the floor.

But the most interesting reaction was Kiba's. At some point in time, he had begun to hold his pen again. It had snapped, the two pieces still tightly gripped in his pale and shaking hand. It seemed whatever they had said touched a very sensitive nerve.

Recovering from her shock, Rias sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose and he could hear her muttering to herself, "as if I don't have enough on my plate already." Then to the two awaiting Exorcists she said, "fine. Let me call Sona here, then we can talk."

* * *

A club that had a whole building to themselves was sure to have a meeting room somewhere, and he was not disappointed. It was just as decorated and luxurious as the rest of the building.

He found himself sitting at the head of the long rectangular table. The padded armchair was definitely comfortable, but he could not help but feel they had placed him there for a reason.

The pair of Exorcists chose to stand, and were now facing them. To his sides sat both Rias and Sona, accompanied by Akeno and Tsubaki respectively. Apparently, the position they held were 'Queens', making them the second-in-command in their Peerages.

Irina was fidgeting nonstop. Her attention was fixed on the brown-haired boy only a few metres away from her. She had recognised Issei the moment he walked in, Asia trailing close behind.

Clearly, her feelings were mixed. He could see the joy and the nostalgia at being reunited with her childhood friend. But there was agony hidden in her gaze as well. Technically, they were enemies, and he knew Irina was aware that rekindling whatever relationship they had would be difficult. He shook his head. He hated all this 'us versus them' nonsense.

Sona cleared her throat. "Well, I think we should get started. Tell us again what happened with a bit more detail."

Xenovia, who had been holding back her friend all this time, spoke up first. "Three nights ago, three Excaliburs were stolen from their respective vaults. The guards were all knocked out. Thankfully, no lives were lost. But the perpetrators completely tore down the doors, and by the time Exorcists arrived on the scene they were gone, along with the Excaliburs. According to the reports, all three incidents happened at the same time."

The troubling look the Devils shared amongst themselves told him how they felt about this situation.

"Nobody died?" Sona inquired, "then did any of the guards catch a glimpse of the trespassers?"

Irina shook her head. "No, they were all knocked out before detecting any abnormalities. But we've ruled out several suspects already."

Rias' head dipped in understanding. "It can't be a Devil. We wouldn't be able to cross into such holy grounds so easily, and touching a Holy Sword is simply out of question."

"That's correct. We've ruled out other churches as well. This required a level of execution and planning that the smaller churches without Excaliburs simply cannot muster."

"Nevertheless, this leaves a pool of suspects that is still too large to narrow down. However, what's more important is that you've tracked them here. In Kuoh City," Sona characteristically adjusted her glasses. "That does not bode well for a settlement whose supernatural population comprises mainly Devils."

"Do not worry, we will resolve this quickly."

Xenovia unslung the large object behind her.

"It is not the first time an Excalibur has been lost."

Slowly, she began to unwrap the bandages, revealing a smooth metal finishing. As if taking her cue, Irina began to untie the small bracelet on her wrist.

"There is an unspoken protocol we follow to retrieve Excaliburs."

The last of the white cloth fell to the floor. In Xenovia's grip was a blade. Its hilt was wrapped in leather, and the guard of the sword itself was actually two blades that jutted out of the sides. The blade itself was massive, a giant rectangular block that had a guillotine edge. He would classify it as a claymore. It looked heavy, yet Xenovia seemed to be able lift it single-handedly with ease.

Not to be outdone by her partner, the bracelet in Irina's hand stretched and morphed. A sleek katana shimmered into place. If Xenovia's blade had represented brawn, Irina's sword clearly encapsulated speed. As thin as a leaf, the blade looked fragile. But he knew that its appearance was deceiving. The blade was wickedly sharp, and its non-existent thickness lied to opponents of its durability.

"And that is to retrieve them with other fragments of Excalibur."

"I'm sorry, please excuse me." He turned to the blond boy, Kiba. He was visibly shaking. His fists were clenched, his teeth grit, and he was glowering at the two weapons. He walked out of the room, his movements stiff and forced. He slammed the door shut.

"Akeno."

Rias only needed to say one word, and the black-haired beauty immediately nodded and got up, following in Kiba's footsteps.

The whole room was looking at Rias for an explanation.

"He has personal... history with the Excaliburs." She said delicately. "He is not fond of them."

Apparently, he noted, no Devils were. He could see all of them eyeing the blades warily, and the holy feeling they were exuding was no doubt putting them on edge.

Xenovia had a small smug smile. "It is fine. Any Devil that has crossed paths with them would be rightly afraid."

He liked swords. He did not know why, but he had always been partial to them. Perhaps it was the way they could pull off being deadly and magnificent at the same time.

He took a few steps towards the Exorcists, who looked up in curiosity.

"May I?" He requested, holding one hand out towards the sword in Irina's grip.

She looked unsure. "Um... I don't know. Holy swords can't be wielded by just _anybody_. Holy Sword users are rarely born, and even then, they must undergo extensive training just to hold them properly."

Xenovia laughed. "Let him try. He is not a Devil, after all. Let us see if he can even lift the blade at all."

Irina flipped the sword such that the handle faced him.

He wrapped one hand gingerly around the hilt. It felt coarse, but he could feel it vibrating slightly with power, and he felt empowered just by touching it.

"Ready?" Irina asked.

He nodded.

She let go of her hand. At once, the sword in his hand suddenly felt a million times heavier. The blade dropped to the floor, and his other hand immediately extended to help. He was bending down, both hands pulling the blade up with all his might. Yet the tip remained only a few centimetres from touching the floor.

"Oh? You can actually lift Excalibur Mimic? Perhaps there is some potential in you after all." Xenovia sounded genuinely impressed.

"Excalibur Mimic?" He grunted, the exertion in his arms made speaking difficult.

"One of the seven fragments of the original Excalibur. It has the ability of taking any form its user can imagine. As you saw earlier, Irina had it turn into a bracelet to carry it around more easily. My own blade, Excalibur Destruction is not as convenient, but makes up for it with power, being able to send waves of destruction with every swing."

"I see..." He was tiring quickly. It felt like the blade was eating at his stamina.

He needed help.

He felt a reassuring presence in his mind. The feeling overwhelmed him, and he let the Persona's essence and power course through him. His body became rejuvenated, and the weapon in his hand became as light as a feather.

He lifted it up smoothly, smiling slightly at the rest of the room's reaction. He swung in the air haphazardly, trying to get used to the weapon. The Devils recoiled back.

"What." Irina rubbed her eyes. "It took me two months before I could even lift it higher than my waist!"

"Whoa!" Issei exclaimed, "that's amazing, Arisato-san! Maybe you're a Holy Sword user! And a super good one too!"

"That's certainly a possibility." Still seemingly in shock, Xenovia rubbed her chin. "I think... we may need to report this to the higher-ups."

Asia clapped her hands gleefully. "As expected of you, Archangel-sama! Even Excalibur bowed to your holiness!"

He stiffened, and Issei rushed to cover Asia's mouth.

Rias face-palmed. Koneko and Sona shook their heads.

The exorcists looked at him strangely. "Archangel-sama?"

"A nickname," he dismissed, staring at Asia.

She got his message, and slowly nodded. Issei let go of her mouth.

They did not look convinced. But then again, he was not done playing with the sword yet.

Xenovia had said the blade could shape-shift. An interesting ability, one that the summoned Persona was unable to do with _his_ Excalibur. He could feel Arthur Pendragon's anticipation. He had always liked new toys.

An image came to mind. He felt the sword shaking and thrumming in his hands. It was as if the sword was alive, and it was _excited._

The flat surface of the katana in his hands grew wider. The blade itself became thicker. The tip of the blade was still as sharp as a needle, but now the blade was tapered as it went down the tip, and its base was as wide as a human head.

"What are you doing? Don't tell me you already figured out how to change its form..." Irina was bewildered, and she took several steps back just from the sheer impossibility of what she was seeing.

The metal polish brightened from its initial dull grey to a royal blue that glowed so bright that the surrounding people had to avert their gazes from it. The guard expanded, the small oval disc growing and distorting until it became unrecognisable, a curved bar with jewels embedded in it.

A golden layer embraced the hilt, and a bejewelled pommel emerged from the bottom.

"Is that..." Xenovia's eyes widened, as she finally recognised the blade for what it was.

But he was not done. The tale of King Arthur was also the tale of Excalibur. As he continued to channel Arthur Pendragon's energy, the blade grew in magnificence. It shined brighter, its presence increased, and it began to radiate a golden light. But it was not holy in origin. It soothed the occupants of the room, and he could see the postures of the Devils relaxing, and their looks of fear transformed into awe and tranquillity.

Excalibur may have been made by the Fae, and blessed by God Himself, but it was still a human weapon, and its divinity came from its encapsulation of the human spirit and utopia. Devils would not shy away from its presence, and even Angels would look at it with amazement in their eyes.

He could feel the blade brimming with energy. For the shortest of instances, the blade in his hand was no longer Excalibur Mimic, and the mere fragment was replaced by the pristine original.

But it was not meant to last. The spirit of Excalibur could not be contained in the mere chassis of a fragment. He could feel the blade splintering, unable to withstand the torrent of power that it was restricting.

Not wanting the weapon to break, he immediately diminished the King's presence until only a small flicker was left. His power receded from the blade, and he found himself suddenly holding a simple katana again.

He spun the blade, returning it to a speechless Irina, who accepted it as though it was a priceless historical artefact. It rested on both her outstretched palms, and she stared at it, mesmerised, her jaw still agape.

With the True Excalibur gone, the tranquil atmosphere ebbed away, and the Devils awoke from their trance.

"Arisato-san," Sona said breathlessly, "what did you just do?"

"I changed its form," he shrugged. He wasn't lying. He just wasn't telling them he had restored it to its primal state.

Asia looked at him with wonder-filled eyes. "That... was amazing, Archangel-sama. Thank you for showing us such a sight and bathing me in such a warm sensation. It almost felt like I could pray again."

Xenovia, having recovered her wits the fastest, chuckled slightly. "After seeing what you just did, I find it difficult that she calls you that as a mere nickname. Frankly speaking, having such an instinctual and prodigious control over a Holy Sword, even if it's merely a fragment, is unprecedented."

Irina nodded her head excitedly. "That's right! Arisato-san, right?" He nodded. "How would you like to follow us to the Church when all this is over? I'm sure the Church will welcome you with open arms!"

He looked to the Devils for help. They did not seem to know what to do either. Koneko turned away from his gaze.

 _It's your problem_. Her expression told him.

"Wow Arisato-san." Issei finally seemed to recover from his shock. "And you didn't even have to show them your wings."

He felt like hitting the boy.

The Exorcists immediately jumped to attention. They looked at him in wonder and expectation.

"Wings? You have wings as well? But you feel undoubtedly human..." There was a spark of realisation on her face. "Don't tell me you have a Sacred Gear as well? A Holy Sword user with a Sacred Gear? We _definitely_ must report that."

The two girls began to surround him, inspecting him like he was an exhibit at a museum.

Issei watched on blankly, until he smashed a fist into his palm. An excited grin on his face accompanied his next statement. "Arisato-san... I'm so jealous! You just recruited the first members of your harem!"

The room was silent, everyone focused on either him or the other boy who had said such scandalous words.

"So he's a pervert too..." murmured Koneko disapprovingly.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten, resisting every urge to hit the boy.

He hadn't even reached four when a loud shriek of pain rang through the room.

He saw Issei, his face swollen as he lay on the floor across the room. Then he turned to see Koneko, her fist still outstretched. Asia frantically ran towards the boy, her hands already pulsating with Twilight Healing's power.

"Thank you." He muttered to the small girl.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Raynare looked to the two empty seats next to her. Class had already started, yet neither Minato nor Issei had come to class. She pursed her lips, did something happen? A feeling of resignation washed over her. Even if something did, there was nothing she could do. She was powerless, and would only hold them back.

Or rather, she'd only hold Minato back.

She had known he was powerful, ever since that first night in Church. He was an entity who could easily leave his mark in the world. He could let his name be known to everyone, and have them grovel at his feet. Yet he did not. He was content in living in that sparse and empty three-bedroom flat. He was fine with being an average student. He was satisfied with lowering himself to live as one of the lowly mortals he should have been lording over.

It didn't make sense. All that power. For nothing.

But she had grossly underestimated him. She had been so wrong. She had known him for almost two weeks now, and every time he displayed some of his power, her mind would automatically built a few assumptions that put limitations on it. At first, she thought he was only capable of returning from the dead. Then came his ability to channel Lucifer. As if that was not enough, then came the revelation that he had more than one spirit inhabiting his body and that included Uriel, who was certainly still alive.

Then last night happened, and every single assumption she had made was shattered. The boy held within him a power so unfathomable, so inconceivable, so ridiculously overpowered that had she not felt the authority that was radiating from him, she would have immediately called his bluff.

 _"Your secret?"_

 _"That is right," he nodded. "This is something I have not shared with anyone, but I feel that you should be the first to know."_

 _There was a bubbling feeling in her chest. It was not excitement, nor fear. It was simply anticipation. She wanted to know. The boy was so full of mysteries that any small reveal was worth it. At the same time, there was a tiny part of her that did not want to know. It warned her; the boy had revealed so little, but what little surprises that flowed through the cracks had literally changed her world each time. Who knew what was in store for her this time?_

 _She steeled through that hesitation. The boy had already stripped her of her identity. There was nothing else for her to lose._

 _"Show me." She said unflinchingly._

 _He took a deep breath and closed his eyes._

 _A green sphere suddenly burst out of his body and expanded outwards, consuming the entire apartment complex._

 _Eyes still shut, he explained, "a shield. To prevent others outside from detecting the influx of power that will soon be released."_

 _So he was capable of wards as well? But something told her that would only be the smallest surprise of the day._

 _He exhaled in one long and smooth motion._

 _For a moment, it felt time had stopped and power flooded the room._

 _Great white wings spread out from his back. A familiar presence engulfed the room. It was the same as the Student Council Room. This was Uriel's presence, and now that she was experiencing again, she could say without a doubt that it matched that Archangel's signature. But this only confirmed her suspicions. It was nothing new._

 _"I've already seen this."_

 _"Have you now?"_

 _She froze. The boy had not opened his mouth. Yet she could still hear the words. And neither was it his voice. It was deeper, more eloquent, and there was a hint of playfulness and mischief in it._

 _"I know you said you've seen Uriel before, but that is your Uriel. I do not believe we have met."_

 _The wings moved. Minato remained as still as he was, but now his eyes were open. A leg stepped out from his shadow. It was connected to a body. A body which had six pairs of wings protruding from its back. A single golden halo hovered above the man's head. Locks of hair as bright and golden as the Sun trailed down the lengths of the man's neck. A pair of golden eyes shined, and a set of pearl-white lips grinned at her. The man seemed to sparkle, and his smooth milky skin was of complexion that put hers to shame. It had been an illusion. The wings were never on Minato the whole time._

 _She could not react. That was not Uriel, she told herself. Uriel had blue eyes. Uriel did not smile so brightly. Uriel was always dressed for war, and would never wear something so vulnerable as a plain white robe. But she could not lie, not to herself. The feeling of warmth, the feeling of a hearth that reassured her. It was unique, unique to the Archangel of Flame._

 _"You seem... disturbed. Penny for your thoughts?"_

 _"Are you really Uriel?" she asked._

 _"Do I not look the part? I believe I am the most handsome of all the Angels. Don't tell me I have a zit somewhere?" The Angel began to comically feel his face for irregularities, and Raynare stared in disbelief._

 _"Or do you require further proof? Is my overbearing and tepid aura not enough for you?"_

 _She did not want to anger him, but she dared not to lie. Not to the Angel who once incinerated a Devil on the spot for dishonesty. So she nodded timidly._

 _"A demonstration then," the Angel declared. He held a palm out. A look of concentration replaced his friendly expression. A ball of fire roared to life in his hands. It seemed ordinary at first, a simple red-orange orb of heat that danced in his palm. Then the playful demeanour returned, and she watched as the fire change from one colour to the next. Blue. Then green. Then purple. Next was yellow. Followed by silver. Then it became a swirl of ever-changing colours. The sphere stretched into a long tube, and it began to circle the Angel's body._

 _He gave Raynare a mischievous look. He pointed a lone finger at her. The fiery serpent sailed towards her. She closed her eyes and shirked back. Instead of pain and heat, she only felt a warm caressing sensation. She opened her eyes. The flames had changed form again. Now it had four legs and a tail. It flew around her, and it stuck out a fiery tongue to lick her face. It tickled._

 _"A cat?" she asked._

 _"I like cats." Said Uriel cheerfully. "I like cats very much."_

 _She watched as the flaming feline hover around her. When she reached out her hand to touch it, Uriel snapped his fingers and it vanished._

 _"So, do you know any other Angels that can play with fire so well?"_

 _She tried to think and came up with nothing. She shook her head._

 _"Then will you admit that I am the one and only amazing Uriel?"_

 _She laughed. This Uriel was much more jovial than the one she had seen in Heaven._

 _"Yes."_

 _"That is good." The Archangel turned to the blue-haired boy, who had faded into the background all this time, watching the scene unfold. She had almost forgotten about him, and his piercing gaze rattled her slightly. "See? She can laugh. You do not have to feel so guilty now for traumatising her so deeply with Lucifer."_

 _"She killed me." He pointed out to the Angel. Raynare winced. She had. In this very apartment. About five paces from where she was currently standing. She had almost forgotten about that too._

 _Uriel waved dismissively. "Forgive and forget. Wait, no. Forgive, but do not forget. That sounds much more wise, no?"_

 _"There are more of you, aren't there?" She interrupted them. "I asked you once, how many of them lived in you. You said 'too many to count'. Show me."_

 _Minato raised an eyebrow at her._

 _"Show her," Uriel piped up. "She's been a good girl lately. She already knows of Lucifer, and you've summoned Orthrus and Cerberus in front of her. What else could possibly surprise her?"_

 _The dogs? What did his familiars have to do with this?_

 _The boy gave Uriel an incredulous look, to which the Angel smirked. "I'm being sarcastic, of course. But since she wants to see, why not indulge her? She has the right to know what exactly she is living with."_

 _The boy sighed. Once again he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply._

 _Then he exhaled._

 _A single word escaped his lips._

 _"Persona."_

 _The new influx of power made his previous show of power look minuscule. The air itself began to vibrate. The boy's hair began to whip about in the breeze he was creating, and his clothes began to dance in the ensuing updraft. Something must have been interfering with the electricity, because the lights started to flicker on and off. In the brief instances where the room was illuminated, she could see silhouettes and figures rising from the ground. There were more of them?_

 _There were sparks of energy that flashed with every new arrival. The clanking sound of plates of metal armour striking against one another. Deep breathing sounds as unidentifiable silhouettes stood in darkness. Finally, the power system crumbled, and the room plunged into a silent abyss._

 _Raynare dared not to breathe. She did not know what just happened, and her mind was in panic mode, sending her all kinds of disturbing imagery of what might happen next. She did not know how many people had poured out of the boy's body, and any movement on her part might lead to her stepping on somebody's toes. And Lucifer's toes were ones she did not want step on._

 _Finally, a voice broke through the noiselessness. It was Minato, and she felt strangely reassured that the boy was somewhere near her._

 _"That was unnecessary, Thor."_

 _Thor? Was he referring to the Norse God Thor? But the Nordic Faction did not have a presence in Japan._

 _Another voice cut in, this time female. "Yes, well done, you lightning-crazed buffoon. How is the girl going to bask in our presence if all she can see is darkness?" The speaker was sharp and scathing._

 _A gruff voice responded a moment later. "Shhhh, the lass can still hear us, you war-mongering witch. And it is not my fault if human engineering cannot match the power of Mjolnir."_

 _There was a sigh. It sounded like Uriel. A snap of the fingers later, an incandescent orb appeared in the middle of the room. It glowed brighter, and brighter, until the room was returned to its original lit state._

 _Raynare had no words._

 _It was like she was staring at a badly organised costume party. There was at least a dozen people littered across the room. No, she corrected herself, not all were people. There were demihumans as well. A woman with animal ears on her head smacked her glistening lips at her. Then she noticed the nine swishing tails behind her back. A youkai?_

 _There was a symphony of yips, and she saw the pair of dogs that had kept her company the previous night wagging their tails excitedly._

 _She thought they were Minato's familiars, albeit rare ones, and had easily dismissed them as nothing out of ordinary. Now she knew they were something else._

 _She looked at the mix of people. There was no common theme. There was Uriel, an Angel that radiated warmth and holiness. Next to him, an armoured body stood at attention, his broadsword pointed to the ground, both gauntlet-clad hands resting on the hilt. This one gave off a stern and calculating feeling._

 _She noticed a small girl staring at her. She looked similar in size to one of the Gremory's Devil- Koneko, if her memory served her right. This girl too, had unusually silver hair. In fact, she was certain that it was glowing slightly. Silver-grey eyes bore into hers, and for a while she was lost in how pretty they were. She felt like she was drifting, until she casually noticed the bow that was slinging across her shoulder._

 _The same bow that had been used to shoot Dorian out of the tree yesterday._

 _"You're that archer! He used you yesterday!" She exclaimed._

 _The girl smiled and nodded, then vanished in a burst of silver sparks._

 _Minato frowned. "I do not 'use them'. I call for them, and they lend me their power."_

 _Next to him, a burly man looked unhappy. He was dressed in metal greaves, and a battle-scarred breastplate labelled him as a fighter. "She noticed Artemis first." He said disgruntledly._

 _Artemis? The Greek God of the moon and the hunt? That small girl was her?_

 _Then she realised it was the same voice as earlier. The ornate hammer the blond man was swinging idly in one hand confirmed his identity as the Norse God of lightning. "Out of all the imposing and dominating presences, she notices the smallest one of us all, whose nature is to hide and wait in the bushes. Preposterous."_

 _Thor was right, she realised as she looked around. Each and every single being here reeked of might and strength. Yet she did not feel threatened. She could feel them restraining their power, and for some reason she trusted Minato enough that he would not hurt her._

 _"Who are they?" She asked the one, who in his own words, had 'called for them' here._

 _"They are me." He responded matter-of-factly._

 _She looked at him, waiting for him to explain further. He did not._

 _She walked around, admiring them an art-lover would in a museum. They did not seem to mind. In fact, they seemed to spruce up under her gaze._

 _Something clawed at her legs. She looked down. It was Cerberus. She lifted him up, carrying it like a newborn. It licked her face with all three tongues happily. When she played with him last night, she thought he was a puppy of the species. Now she had a haunting suspicion that the toy-sized dog she was carrying was the real deal._

 _"I don't understand," she confessed. "This is you?" She pointed at Cerberus, then placed him back on the floor, where he ran back to Orthrus._

 _"An aspect of me." The boy replied._

 _"I... don't understand" she admitted._

 _He did not become impatient. He explained calmly. "In her house, a woman can be a mother. In another house, that same woman becomes a daughter. In the office, she is an employee. Fast forward a few years, she is the boss and a grandmother as well. When you look at her life collectively, she is all of those things. The same applies here."_

 _"That doesn't make sense!" She argued, "that would imply that all these..." she looked at the individuals and thought of a way to classify them, "mythological beings are you! And that you are also them!"_

 _The boy tilted his head. "Isn't that what I just said?"_

 _"But that's impossible! A human can't be a god! Or an Angel! Or a youkai! Or a..."_

 _"Devil." Supplied the boy. "Except they can. When you get down to it, a soul is still soul. It does not matter where it comes from. When you wash away the experiences that coat and mould the soul, you are always left with the same thing. All souls have a will. You choose to do good, or to do bad. It does not matter if you are human, or an Angel. Or a Demon for that matter. Even Gods choose their own paths." He looked at her for a long while. "Even Fallen Angels."_

 _She still did not accept his words. The implications were too shattering for her. It would mean that the boy in front of her had experienced everything that gods, Angels, Devils, and everything else had. It was a preposterous notion._

 _Thor chuckled. "Oy lassie, your disbelief is still has clear as the sky itself. Didn't you wonder why this kid was always so calm even when the universe throws all kinds of nonsense at him? It's because you can't scare someone who has already seen everything."_

 _He did not refute the god's claims, only continuing to stare at her with a blank, unreadable face._

 _She could feel a sense of dread building up in her stomach. "Just... what did you go through to have gained all of them?" She wondered, fear creeping into her voice._

 _The boy gave her a forlorn smile. "That's what I'm trying to find out as well."_

Her recollections were broken when the subject of her troubles walked in, Issei right behind him. She watched as he gave a generic - and definitely made-up - excuse on why he and Issei were late to the teacher, before walking over to her.

"Hey," he said as he sat down, "you missed quite a bit."

"Yea!" Chimed in Issei from where he sat, and he leaned forward to tell her more, "Three Excaliburs got stolen last week! And the Church sent two _super hot_ Exorcists to track them down!"

Three? That had certainly never happened before. But she kept her surprise to herself, nodding in half-interest.

As if dismayed by her lack of response, the brown-haired boy kept going, "and guess what? Arisato-san is a Holy Sword Wielder! He was so cool, he handled that Exorcist's Excalibur like it was nothing!"

At this point, she couldn't hold it in. "That's nice. I'm certain Arisato-san can be anything he wants to be, and nobody would be able to stop him." She had said it on impulse, but did not defend herself afterwards because it was true.

The aforementioned boy arched a curious eyebrow at her.

Meanwhile, not knowing any context, the meaning of her words sailed right past Issei. He bobbed his head up and down in agreement. "You're right! Arisato-san is just amazing! Do you know he's already got a harem? Man, I've got to step up my game! Watch out, Arisato-san, I won't lose to you!"

She rolled her eyes and disconnected herself from the conversation. She saw Minato looking at her in concern. She turned away, and pushed every thought that involved him into the back of her mind. She buried herself in the assignments on the table. She couldn't deal with this now.

* * *

"You are troubled," he confronted her after school was over, on their way home. "Care to share?"

"Troubled?" She mocked surprise, "me? Why would I ever be troubled?"

The corners of his lips sunk down. "There is no reason to be snappy."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said sarcastically, "but do you honestly expect me to be okay after learning that everything I knew about the concept of existence itself was proven wrong in a single night?"

She was right, he thought to himself. Perhaps he had gone too far when revealing his Personas. It was foolish of him to believe that she would accept their presence as easily as he had. But they were different. The Personas were part of him, but the same could not be said for Raynare. Their very existence violated her existing knowledge, for in her mind they already existed somewhere else. He had been too distracted by Kokabiel's words, and needed an outlet to vent his energy.

"I see," he said. "I will give you some time to be alone with your thoughts. I will see you at home later."

She had a look of surprise. She apparently did not expect him to drop the matter so easily. He initially did not have the intention to so, but he realised that his constant presence around her may have been stifling her of late, and that she definitely needed some time to be alone. He knew best that self-reflection was done best in the absence of others.

Sooner or later, they would part ways, most likely once she regained her powers, and he would not need to watch her. He did not want to have an overbearing presence in her life.

He veered from the path they were walking on, leaving Raynare alone behind him. He ignored how she was watching him with concern in her eyes.

* * *

Whenever he wanted to be by himself, he went to the park.

He should stop doing that, for bad things always seemed to happen while he was in the park.

"A lover's quarrel?" A playful voice teased. He recognised it. How could he not, when he spoke with Kokabiel only just last night?

He tensed up, readying Personas he could call at a moment's notice.

"We are not like that." He responded carefully.

"Of course you're not. Raynare isn't that kind of Fallen, it'll take much more than that to get in her pants."

Once again, he found himself sitting next to the rogue Grigori. He was dressed to avoid attention. A large hat covered most of his features, and the large trenchcoat he wore served to avoid attention.

"I see you've kept my secret safe." Kokabiel said pleasantly. "That's good, the denizens of Kuoh can live in peace, at least."

"Not for long, if you start that war that you intend to."

"I'll try my best not to get humans involved."

"You got them involved the moment you brought three Excaliburs into Kuoh."

He had suspected it from the very start. The timing was too coincidental. Of course, he had no evidence, but he learnt to trust his gut, and threw it out there for Kokabiel to hear.

"Ah. So you heard about that. Well yes, perhaps so." He shrugged, "even if the war _does_ spillover to humanity, it will benefit them in the long run. A small sacrifice for humanity's interest."

"That is not for you to decide. And the one paying the price for your war will be those who want it the least."

Kokabiel gave him a long hard look. "You are very idealistic, aren't you?"

"I can be practical when I want to."

"Then you should already know that this is the only way. The supernatural world and humanity cannot coexist. That is why there will be a war. The paranormal will destroy itself, and humanity can thrive in peace."

He had not expected that. "I'm afraid I do not understand."

"Do you know what Sacred Gears are?"

He nodded. Sona and Rias had touched on it slightly during his brief crash course.

"Then you should know that they are God's gift to humanity."

"Yes, Rias mentioned that they are meant to serve as humanity's counter to the supernatural."

Kokabiel scowled. "She is not wrong. But this very same Devil has four Sacred Gear Users in her Peerage."

He saw the problem immediately. If four Sacred Gear users were reincarnated into Devils, that left four less for humanity.

"You see it now, don't you? And she is not alone. The Sitri heiress has amassed a similar Peerage consisting of reincarnated Sacred Gear Wielders. In fact, it is common practice amongst Devils today. They prey on vulnerable and ignorant humans that bear God's blessing, feed them honeyed words and dangle forbidden fruits in front of them. Once they have been enthralled, their Sacred Gears fall into Devil hands, and are perverted away by the very kind they were meant to defend against."

He had no response. It did not seem that Kokabiel wanted one anyway.

"Tell me, child. Do you know of the heroes of old? Or even villains? People like Hercules, Lu Bu, Siegfried?"

He nodded. He had many of them residing in his mind after all.

"They were humanity's finest. Your champions, who could go toe to toe with gods themselves and not be found lacking. But where are they now?"

"Dead?" Even the most vital of humans couldn't live so long. Except him, apparently.

"Exactly! They're gone! But who has replaced them? Name me one famous human of that calibre who has lived in recent times."

He had no answers. Even his Personas were stumped.

"You see the problem? It is not just about robbing humanity of its defence, its about pillaging their potential!" Kokabiel was furious now, and his red eyes seemed to glow in his anger underneath the brim of his hat. "There are hundreds of Sacred Gear Users out there, _hundreds!_ Maybe even bordering a thousand! Yet how many of them are in humanity's hands?"

He did not know, and he told Kokabiel that.

"The Church, humanity's largest supernatural organisation has _twenty_. TWENTY! Were it not for that precocious child Dulio, they would have been a laughing stock amongst the Factions!" He was downright shouting now.

That did seem like a rather disproportionate ratio. He could certainly understand Kokabiel's grievances. "But I do not believe that is enough to start a war that would claim the lives of so many millions." He made his disagreement known.

To his surprise, Kokabiel looked hurt. There was pain in his eyes, and he struggled to speak. "I... know that. You think I want to start this war? I have wracked my brain for years! Ever since the day I Fell, I have sought and tried countless ways to stop the other Factions from encroaching onto humanity. But all have failed, and the best and brightest still keep being preyed upon by everyone, not just Devils. Even the _Church_ is guilty of this." He spat, "they recruit and train those they find talented and blessed, but look at the result. A group of stubborn people who hide in their cathedrals, whose holier-than-thou attitudes keeps them from protecting those who cannot protect themselves. The supernatural is holding humanity back."

He did not not know enough about this world to make a comment. But something seemed amiss."Then what made you change your mind? Why suddenly tell me all this, and ask me to stop you, even after you've made up your mind and spent so long planning this?"

Kokabiel gave him a sincere smile. "Throughout the Ages, humanity has lost too many of its best. They lose their potential champions, and yet gain nothing in return. I'll be honest with you. I've never seen an Angel lend its power to a human's aid, much less an Archangel. Yet you have managed to do so, somehow, though my search for that Angel's identity has ended up in vain. Are you willing to share?"

Kokabiel was talking about Lucifer, but of course he could not tell him that.

Kokabiel accepted his silence gracefully. "It speaks much for the Angel, but it speaks volumes more for the human who he is willing to defer himself to."

"Why are you here?" He finally asked, not wanting to continue this line of thought. It was making him uncomfortable. He couldn't form a consistent image of Kokabiel. At first, he thought he was a warmongering psychopath, starting a conflict because he liked bloodshed. Now after this, he didn't know what to think. Kokabiel seemed to have an immeasurable depth to his character, but without knowing his story he couldn't determine if the man was right in the head.

"Oh yes." Kokabiel chuckled. "I almost forgot about that. Your Devil friends, and the two visiting Exorcists. They're probably going to die tonight."

He smashed the the dam open. Power flooded him. A gleaming blade, still dripping with blood, appeared in his hands. It looked similar to the Excalibur he had wielded for a moment this morning, except it was twisted - a grotesque twin. It's metal was obsidian black, and bloodlust leapt off from it. Its tip was pointed right at Kokabiel's throat.

"Scary." Kokabiel said, but he did not seem fazed at all. Why would he, when he was a holding a sword made of holy light, and pointing at it at the chest of his assailant? "May I know its name?"

"Clarent. Now spill the beans. What have you done with them?"

"Mordred's sword?" Kokabiel's eyes widened in recognition. "Does Raynare know about that?" He seemed slightly concerned. He ignored it, annoyed that he was dodging his question. He pressed the tip closer to Kokabiel's throat.

An innocent look appeared on Kokabiel's face.

"I've done nothing! They're walking to their own deaths! The resourceful Exorcists managed to track the missing Excaliburs to the abandoned church you demolished. They're heading there now, with the assistance of the Devils." He chuckled, "Exorcists enlisting the help of Devils," he shook his head, "what has the world come to?"

"What's at the church?" He asked threateningly.

"A mad scientist. A psychotic ex-Exorcist. Several dozen of my Fallen that were lent to that mad scientist. Anyone of them can kill your friends." He paused, then as an afterthought added, "except maybe Valper. That man is smart, but he doesn't actually know how to fight. You should hurry up. Time is ticking."

The swords vanished. He wanted to leave, and run straight for the Church. But he had one last burning question for the Fallen.

"Your God. Why does he do nothing about the situation you just described?"

Kokabiel smiled. But it didn't quite reach his eyes, and they dimmed morosely.

"My God? He does nothing because he's dead."

* * *

 **A/N: And we're done! The _real_ action starts next chapter! Did anybody get my Demon amongst Devil reference?**

 **On that note, thanks for all the support, and don't forget to review, fav, follow and even PM me if you wanna talk! I definitely reply to PMs, and reviews too, if I think you need one!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter was initially planned to be over 20k words long, but I felt like this was a better place to end it. Don't worry though, I'll make it up. The next chapter will definitely a super long one that many of you seem to want.**

 **Sorry to my Beta Shaded for publishing this first!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

She looked up at the grinning man standing on the balcony above her. She scowled, her hand tightening around the grip of the Excalibur Destruction.

Valper Galilei. She'd heard of him. The ex-communicated priest was notorious for his role in the Excalibur Project. It devastated her that so many children had died to wield the sword in her hand. Her blood boiled when he smiled at them.

"Oh, ho!" Valper chuckled, "How kind of you, my dear Exorcists, to bring me two of the four Fragments I am missing. I am sure Freed is more than happy to have more toys to add to his collection."

The elderly man, dressed in his old priest robes, pointed towards the manic ex-Exorcist. Freed Sellzen trailed his tongue across the edge of the sword in his hand. It would not have been so disturbing if the blade was not blemished with their blood, and the silver-haired man swallowed the liquid with a satisfied look on his face. An equally infamous excommunicated member of the Church whose crimes were too numerous to list.

Next to her, Irina clutched her shoulder, blood seeping out of her fingertips. "You don't deserve to wield the Excaliburs, you psychopath!"

Freed looked genuinely offended at her accusation. "Me? Unworthy? Perhaps so, but not any less than worthy than you," He spat. He pointed to the people behind them.

She turned. Irina's childhood friend, Issei, stood protectively in front of the rest of the Devils. The nun she recognized as the wielder of Twilight Healing, Asia Argento, knelt in front of a rather good-looking boy whose shirt was dyed red. He had been reckless, charging ahead the moment he caught sight of Valper. Then Freed had appeared out of nowhere, and the boy known as Yuuto Kiba had looked in shock as he found a sword buried to its hilt in his abdomen. Asia had an intense look of concentration as she tried healing the wound.

She turned back when Fred continued to speak in that condescending tone.

"At least I don't consort with Devils! And you call yourself Exorcists? If anything, the unworthy ones are you two." Freed said, then he cocked his head, as if realising something. "I suppose that makes you enemies of God as well, doesn't it? After all, accepting aid from those that opposed him is tantamount to blasphemy." He licked his lips, then turned towards to the elder man on top, "that makes it alright for me to kill them, right mister fake priest?"

"Of course," Valper said fatherly with a nod, "you may use Excalibur to slay all those tainted with darkness. That has always been its purpose."

She could see conflicted emotions on Irina's face. There was truth in Freed's words. They had collaborated with the Devils, a serious crimes if their higher-ups ever found out about it. The ex-nun behind her reminded her of that fact. She'd been excommunicated for healing one after all, but instead of trying to make up for it, she chose to fall even further. Shameful.

But they had no choice. Irina had rightly pointed out that whoever had so easily stolen the Excaliburs must have been very skilled. They did not know who they were up against, and there were many individuals out there who could easily take out two Exorcists-in-training, even with their Holy Swords.

They had to make a compromise. An incursion of values, in order to complete the mission as quick as possible. Some would have disagreed with their methods, but with the clock ticking, they had no choice. Every second the Excaliburs were out of the Church's hands was an opportunity for the perpetrators to wreck havoc with it.

And they already had. She eyed the sword in Freed's hands. She knew what it was. Before leaving for Japan, they had shown her images of the three missing Excaliburs. What Freed Sellzen held looked like an aberrant superimposition of all three of them.

A mix of anger and reluctant acknowledgement rose up her throat. She could not help but marvel that somebody had discovered how to fuse the fragments back together. The possibility of the original sword being reforged made her giddy with excitement. But she hated how the person who had done so was none other than Valper Galilei.

A soft whisper came from behind.

"We should run. We should cut our losses here and retreat with the information we have."

Ah. She'd almost forgotten about Koneko. The small girl seemed to be the calmest of them all. Perhaps it was her personality. She seemed detached, and her small presence led to many people overlooking her.

Next to her, Irina bit her lip. She had been caught off guard when Freed had manifested the fused-Excalibur's ability and turned invisible. Now she had lost the use of her master hand, and her Holy Sword had been degraded into a makeshift crutch. The usually jovial girl looked at her with a very serious expression.

"We haven't lost yet. Xenovia. Can you use _that_?"

She clicked her tongue. She did not want to. She looked behind, where the-still-unconscious Devil lay. Running was not an option. Devil or not, she would leave not leave behind someone that got injured helping her. But they could not fight in their current state either. Freed Sellzen had years of experience more than her. And a better weapon.

For now.

Her grip slackened. Excalibur Destruction clattered to the floor. Everyone turned to look at her.

"Are you surrendering?" If anything, Freed sounded annoyed. "It's not fun if you don't fight back."

She ignored him. She had not wanted to reveal her ace so early, but with their objective right in front of their eyes, there was no reason not to.

She emptied her mind, releasing all the stress and fatigue occupying her body. She closed her eyes.

With a cool breath, she exhaled.

 _"Durandal."_

* * *

The Church was out of the city limits. Getting there on foot would take at least an hour, nor he did not know the transport system well enough to use it. Not that it would have been fast enough anyway.

But he had Personas, and trivialities like space and time meant little to beings like them.

The ground in front of him dissolved, melting away to form a thick and murky liquid. A viscous bubble rose to its surface where it popped audibly.

And then another bubble. And more, until a patch of grass the size of a car was a pond of bursting bubbles.

He stood there and waited. From the depths of the pool, something began to rise. A gondola. It was generic, something that would have been a common sight on the canals of Venice.

"Yo." He greeted the ferryman standing at the helm of the craft, whose hands held a partially submerged stick.

"Where to?" The man asked raspily. He did not look alive. His skin was too pale, his eyebags too sunken, and his skin clung to his bones too tightly for there to be any substantial flesh underneath.

Charon, the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology. He guided departed souls down the River Styx, taking them through the border of life and death. Getting to places quickly was his speciality, and he was one of few Personas with such a convenient ability.

"There's a church nearby. The one where Lucifer and Apophis manifested by themselves. Do you remember?"

The ferryman nodded, and beckoned him to climb aboard. He did so without hesitation, climbing into the unstable boat thoughtlessly. There were more important things to worry about.

Charon was useful, but his ability had limits. As a god aligned to death, he could only transport people to places of death.

The boat sunk into the depths of the ground.

Lucky for him, most churches had a graveyard.

* * *

Something was wrong. It was too quiet. Kokabiel claimed there was to be a battle, but all he could hear was silence. A trap?

He would not put it past the Fallen.

He prayed he was not too late. He quickened his pace, jumping over the tombstones that stuck out of the ground. The Church was coming into view. It looked similar to how he remembered it, though there were signs of habitation that were not there before.

A broken beer bottle here.

A few cigarette butts there.

He rushed up the steps. He could hear noises, whispers. The clanging of metal. And finally the scream of pure agony.

Issei.

He broke into a full-out sprint, and his senses heightened. He could hear thumping as blood pumped through his body. He kicked the heavy wooden doors. The weathered hinges snapped, and the great wooden slabs crashed to the ground.

The first thing he noticed was the sword. Its tip was jammed into the ground, where fissures of cracks hinted at the force that had buried it there. Blood seeped down its edge, tainting its brilliant blue sheen. The sword smelled of power, and he knew the Excalibur fragments he had seen earlier in the day didn't even hold a candle to it.

He tore his eyes away from the blade. The church was much more demolished than he had left it. Any semblance of furniture was gone, only debris and rubble. Splotches of crimson blood littered the area. But mostly they were concentrated right in front of the alter, where arcs of it painted the ground, indicating that they had spurted out of the body in great fountains.

He saw why immediately. The cross, which had once held Asia's corpse, was occupied again. Issei hung there, rusty nails embedded into his palms and feet, crusted blood showing just how long he had been crucified. Judging by the open gash on his bare chest, the blood on the floor was his. His skin hissed and steamed where it met the holy object, which no doubt was rejecting his Devil flesh. The smell of burnt meat wafted into his nose, and he could only imagine the pain the boy felt. He did not know if the rising and sinking chest was good or bad.

His mind snapped. Something broke. Rage consumed him, but he immediately channeled that rage into focus. Anger blinded, and he was not one to let his emotions overcome him no matter the scenario. It was difficult, but he managed to steady his heart and his breathing. Very difficult.

The rest of the occupants of the room turned to look at him. Their hands and legs were shackled, their mouths gagged, and their clothes were torn up badly, revealing the cuts and bruises that littered their bodies. Their widening eyes were the only response they could give him.

He saw Asia kneeling next to Issei, and she was the only one whose hands were unbound. She gave him a pleading look, and her eyes pointed towards the door he had just entered from.

So she wanted him to run? Laughable. Not when he needed something to unleash his rampant wrath on.

Irina and Xenovia were lying near the corner, both dressed in black body suits that were ripped, revealing parts of their bodies no holy maiden would want exposed. There was no embarrassment in their eyes, no indignance. Only fear.

Koneko was propped up against the wall, her small form scrunched into a tiny ball as she stared at him with horror in her eyes. She looked upwards and shook her head. A warning?

Only Kiba's gaze did not linger on him long. The blond boy's handsome features were mutilated, and his uniform was dyed in blood. Once he had gotten over his shock, he had looked away, directing his eyes back at the cross, pure murder in his eyes.

Or rather, he was glowering at the man in front of the cross, who held a sword in his hand. He was the only one he did not recognise. He looked young, even though he had silverish hair. His outfit mirrored the white cloak Xenovia and Irina had first worn when he met them. A cross hanging from his neck indicated his allegiance.

But what drew his attention was the sword. He knew what it was, for it radiated the exact same feeling Irina's had, only stronger. Blood dripped from it, and he knew what it had been used for. The Devil blood on it boiled upon contact with the holy edge of Excalibur.

The man sneered. He looked at Asia. "I told you to call your leader, the busty redhead. This is not her. In fact, he's human!" He swept his legs at her, and it connected with her abdomen. The ball of cloth in her mouth did little to block her shrill scream. The man looked at him. "Run away, little boy, before you end up like them."

He stood his ground, fixing a blank stare at the man. The dam that held his emotions back was threatening to shatter at any moment. The man shrugged, "or you can stay. Whatever, if you're not a Devil, I don't care."

He turned back to Asia.

"Hey, shitty nun. Heal the boy again. I'm not stopping until that Gremory bitch comes." Asia got up, quickly crawling to Issei's side. Her hands hovered over the hideous wound on his chest. The green light of Twilight Healing did its magic, and the gash began to heal itself. Issei's breathing movements became more pronounced, and he saw his fingers begin to twitch.

He heaved a sigh of relief. But it came a moment too early, for the next moment the man swung his sword-wielding-arm again. Blood spurted out and a splash was heard as the floor was painted in a fresh coat of Issei's blood. Issei didn't even make a sound. His muscles tightened, and his head hung slightly lower than before.

"Heal him again," ordered the man, his tone completely neutral. Asia choked back a sob as she clambered back towards Issei.

And that was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"That's enough." He said it softly, but his commanding tone made everyone pause.

"I'm sorry?" The man smiled, cupping one hand over his ear. "Did you say something? I'm giving you a second chance to repeat yourself."

"I said stop. Or I will stop you." He began to walk forwards.

The man pointed at Issei. "Do you know he's a Devil? A _real_ Devil, who can use magic and all that heretical stuff? Are you sure you want him to live?"

"He's my friend." He said resolutely, "and you will hurt him no more."

"Why are all the _humans_ ," the crazed man ground out in restrained fury, "such treacherous and blasphemous heretics that love Devils so much?"

He had a simple answer, and he stopped right in front of the blade that was pierced into the ground.

"Because they are not bad people."

The man gave him a predatory smirk. "I'm gonna enjoy killing you _reeaaaal_ slow." He lifted the sword and hoisted it onto his shoulder. "The name's Freed Sellzen, by the way."

"Arisato Minato," he replied in kind.

His hand touched the hilt of the blade. Immediately, a Persona responded and its power overflowed into his body. And then he began to _pull_.

* * *

What was he still doing here?

Xenovia struggled in her bonds, trying to at least pop the gag out of her mouth. She needed to warn him. Even with his gifts and talents, this was not a battle a human like him would be able to win.

She had been right to draw Durandal. She had been able to overpower Freed easily. The Excalibur in his hand had shattered in her first strike. But she had not been able to turn the tide of the battle.

If Minato somehow managed to take out Freed, then the dozens of Fallen hiding in the ceiling would swoop down and he would be overwhelmed. He could not win. And it would be even more difficult for him, as Valper had taken their swords and the shards and reforged a sword equivalent to five sevenths of the original Excalibur. Even with Durandal, she would have had a tough time dealing with that.

But the boy did not know all this. A feeling of helplessness washed over her. Was this all she was reduced to? Being humiliated and captured, unable to save even a single soul? The boy had so brazenly declared his intention to stop the ex-priest. Issei had done the same, and look what had happened to him. Even she felt sorry for the Devil boy, and she grudgingly gave him some respect for volunteering to suffer Freed's wrath in place of them.

She watched, resigned, as Minato took a few steps forward. He was unarmed, so naturally he would walk towards the only weapon in sight. It had been her last act of defiance, and she had sunk it into the ground so deep that only a true wielder of it would be able to pull it out. She did not want it falling into the wrong hands. If she died and it required a King-Arthur-esque character centuries later to pull it out then so be it.

She watched the boy rest his palm on its hilt. This was not an Excalibur fragment. In truth, they were the easiest to wield, and any decent Holy Sword user would have been able to master them within a year or two. But Durandal was different. It was complete, a full-fledged Holy Sword that was as picky about its user as a three-year-old its food. It looked for more than just talent and the affinity to the Light. There was a specific set of qualities it sought, and the chances that Minato had them all was hopelessly slim.

Yet, the boy tried. He wrapped his fingers around its leather grip and began to pull. From where he stood, Freed laughed. "Don't bother, it's stuck. The Exorcist jammed it into the ground and now it won't budge. I hope you know some hand-to-hand. Otherwise you'll die pretty fast, and that would be boring."

Minato did not react. She wanted to yell at him, that his efforts would be in vain, and that he should run while he still could. That was the only route forward, to get help from others. If he could reach that Gremory girl and stop her from getting caught in Freed's ploy then all the better, for she could no doubt call for Devil reinforcements.

Then the impossible happened. There was a screeching sound that made her look up. The boy's hand was still on the grip, but something had changed. Durandal was _moving_. It was slow, almost unnoticeable, but her sword was sliding up in the hands of another. Her eyes widened in amazement. It was gradual at first, but now it was gaining traction, and with a _schlink_ sound Durandal was pulled out of the ground in a swift and smooth motion.

Somebody kicked her lightly. She looked behind. It was Irina. She was making a strange face, her eyebrows furrowed as though demanding to know what was going on. She shrugged. She didn't know either, but she definitely wanted to watch.

She turned back. Minato was giving Durandal a few practice swings. There was no strain on his body, and his movements were fluid and seamless. They were a perfect match. She didn't believe her eyes. Another user of Durandal, born in the exact same year as her? Cardinal Vasco said that it was already a small miracle that there were two living wielders, but for there to be three? Unthinkable.

Even Freed didn't know how to react, and he started to sputter out. "What the fuck?! I spent five minutes trying to pull that out! Oi Valper!" he called out towards the ceiling, "this random kid just pulled out Durandal from the ground!"

There was a shuffling of footsteps, and the balding man poked his head over the railing. He twirled his moustache in curiosity.

"Fascinating. Well, Freed? What are you waiting for? Don't you want to see how your new Excalibur matches up to Durandal? Don't kill him though, he could be a useful subject."

Freed grinned as he readied his sword, causing Minato to do the same. "I don't know who you are, but you just made my day." The tip of Excalibur was pointed right at the blue-haired boy. "Show me what you got, kid."

Across him, Minato's face remained impassive as ever. No, Xenovia realised upon looking closer, the corners of his lips were twitching upwards by the smallest of margins. She didn't understand. He was actually smiling.

What made the boy so confident?

* * *

She blinked. The fight was unreal. She hadn't even known humans were capable of travelling at such speeds. Their movements were blurry, and they moved at such explosive velocities that even her trained eyes had trouble following their movements. She could not distinguish between their bodies and the afterimages they left behind with every action.

Certainly Freed had Excalibur Rapidly's ability, but Minato had no such trick to match his speed. Yet he did. Parry for parry, blow for blow, their exchange was furious, and sparks flew whenever their blades clashed.

Irina wriggled up to her. "Xenovia," she said, now that Asia had removed their gags. It felt good to breathe through their mouths again, and Freed either didn't notice or didn't care. He looked like he was enjoying himself immensely. "He's using Durandal."

"Yes, I can see that." She replied, too busy watching their fight to absorb her words. She watched Freed lunge for Minato, who immediately blocked it before breaking distance and leaping backwards.

"I didn't mean it like that. Can't you see it? It's _your_ blade."

She looked at her friend. Irina might seem happy-go-lucky, but underneath that dillydallying image was actually a solid and calculative warrior. The look of concentration on her face only showed how engrossed she was in their displays of swordsmanship.

She turned back to look at Minato. What had Irina meant? Then she realised it. She saw Minato make a great swing that would have sliced Freed in half had he not jumped back. In that one moment, Durandal hummed with energy. But she knew that Durandal was a temperamental sword, and its strength varied with its mood.

She had never seen it in such bliss.

"It's singing." She gasped, "Durandal. It's singing as its being swung around." The words came out of her mouth automatically. There was no other way to describe it. The blade looked positively jubilant in the hands of Minato. It shined brighter, and as it cut the air, it made a high-pitched noise that it had never made in her own hands.

It hurt. "He's more compatible with it than you are." Irina said what she was thinking. She felt her throat lurch. She couldn't deny it. The first time she touched Durandal, it had almost felt like it had recoiled. Yet Minato could pick it up and wave it about like nothing.

But that wasn't all. Talent and affinity could not explain what she was seeing. Minato did a backflip in the air, before using a nearby pillar to launch himself towards Freed, who dodged out of the way at the last moment. You couldn't do manoeuvres like that with talent.

"He's fought before. He has experience, and by the look of it, much more than the two of us." She said, and Irina nodded dumbly in agreement.

They watched in silence. They had gone on missions together before, investigating supernatural threats, even killing the occasional stray Devil. But a fight like this was way out of their leagues. If anything, it looked like the kind of battle Griselda used to tell her of when she was a child, the kind she used to laugh at and call fairy tales. But she could not call it a bluff now, not when she could see the craters forming in the ground and the feel the shockwaves rushing through her. That was just how much force was behind each blow.

"Look at how he uses it. Doesn't it remind you of Vasco Strada's?" Irina said in awe. The Cardinal Priest who wielded Durandal before her was reputed to only be second to Roland of Charlemagne with Durandal. She had only seen him use it once, right before he entrusted the blade to her. He had split the Baltic Sea with a single swing, right in front of her six-year-old eyes. The moment was still imprinted clearly in her mind.

But they were not alike at all. "No. Minato's better." Irina's head spun to look at her, eyes in shock. "Cardinal Strada taught me to treat Durandal as a partner. He said to master it, you must treat it as an equal, if not then superior to you. He said Durandal was a proud sword, and if its users thought they was its master then it would not fight for you. Only one person has managed to master Durandal to the extent where it would willingly submit itself to him." That man was as legendary as the blade itself, and their stories were tied together.

"Roland Charlemagne. Paladin of the Holy Roman Empire." Irina finished for her. "But he's dead, and you're telling me this boy can wield it as well as him?" The long-haired girl blinked in disbelief. "He's only been holding it for a few minutes..."

She couldn't be sure, for she had never seen the legendary swordsman in action for real. But Minato was using Durandal exactly how Vasco had told her not to. She looked on as Minato lodged the blade into the wall, before using it as a springboard to kick Freed in the face. That was something it would never allow her to do. It would never let itself be used as a means to another attack.

She held her breath as Minato used the flat side of Durandal as a shield, blocking the pointed tip of Excalibur. She released her breath in awe. When she had tried that while training with Griselda, the blade had buckled, annoyed that she treated it as a shield, and Griselda's sword had slid past the edge and into her shoulder. It had been a painful lesson.

Minato was treating Durandal more than just as an extension of a limb. He had full control of it, and what he wanted, the blade gave. It was almost as if the blade had completely changed its character, from a defiant and arrogant tyrant to a prostrated servant beneath an emperor. More than that, it seemed genuinely happy to do so.

"I don't understand. How can an individual like this exist, but remain under the Church's radar for so long?" Irina wondered, eyes still glued to the fight.

She did not know, and it unsettled her. She had thought herself as the cream of the crop, the best humanity had to offer. That with faith and diligence she would become as strong as the heroes of old. The boy in front of her had very quickly shattered that idea. There was such a huge gap, and if there more people like Minato... then where in the world were they?

"Do you remember? In the school, they hinted Minato had a Sacred Gear." Irina reminded her.

"Yes." She did remember that. It involved wings.

"He hasn't even bothered to use it yet." Irina paused for abit. "He'd better do when the Fallen come descending down. A sword is next to useless when they can fly."

Her heart skipped a beat. She had completely forgotten about them. They had hidden themselves in the corners and the roof of the Church, and they were the ones that had turned the tables against them when they had victory in their grasps.

She wanted to warn Minato, but her weak voice was drowned out by Freed's cry of frustration.

"Why won't you let me hit you?!"

Minato actually stopped, and gave Freed a weird look. "That's a very stupid question."

Freed growled. And then promptly disappeared.

The boy looked confused, and began to turn on the spot, trying to find his elusive opponent.

"It's Excalibur Transparency! He's turned invisible! Be careful!" She shouted out to him.

The warning came just in time. He tensed, and suddenly leaned to the side. The few strands of hairs that fell off the side of his head only told them just how close to death he had been.

"You have good instincts." Freed's voice rang out. "Let's see how long they last."

Minato didn't even look mildly annoyed. He simply closed his eyes. He raised Durandal up and waited.

"He's crazy." Irina said incredulously next to her. "Closing your eyes just because the opponent is invisible? They only do that in comics and movies! The amount of information you lose is far more than what you gain!"

Xenovia felt inclined to agree. But Minato had yet to disappoint her.

Minato sidestepped. Then he shifted his blade to parry his side. There was a loud clang, and sparks flew from the invisible clash. Freed's voice was filled with irritation. "This is bullshit! That's downright cheating! You're hacking!"

Minato spun on his heel and dashed. He lifted Durandal into the air, where something metallic struck it. Then he dropped to a crouch and lunged. The front portion of the blade disappeared.

"Grrk!" It was Freed's voice, though it contained more surprise than pain.

He remained in that position for a brief few seconds.

"Did... did he hit him?" She stuttered out.

"But his eyes are still closed!" Objected Irina, "uh uh," she shook her head, "no way he tracked him down using his ears. That's not humanly possible."

Her answer came a moment later.

The blood came first. It trickled down the middle of the blade. It was a few drops at first, until a steady flow of it began to stream down Durandal's unchipped edge. Then Freed shimmered into view. His white cloak was stained in a growing patch of red. He was looking down, eyes wide and jaw unhinged, as the scene of a blade embedded in his chest finally registered in his mind. He wanted to speak, but instead a waterfall of blood spilled out of his mouth, colouring his yellow teeth red.

"...unfair." Was all he managed to croak out before his body tumbled to the ground.

The silence was deafening. All eyes were locked on the unmoving prone body of Freed Sellzen as the Excalibur rolled out of his lifeless hands.

"You insolent child!" She looked up. Valper Galilei was gripping the handrails of the balcony tightly - his knuckles were turning white. He was shaking in fury, yet Minato did not even seem perturbed at the sheer amount of anger directed at him.

"Do you know... how difficult it was for me to find a Holy Sword user that was willing to work for me? Do you know... how long I have spent researching in order to reforge Excalibur and to see someone wield it again? Do you know-"

His words were cut short by a cough. She turned. Kiba was sitting up, Asia supporting him. Despite his weakened state, he radiated presence, sending the ex-priest a hateful glare.

"Do you know... how many of my friends died for your stupid project?"

He had his fists balled up. Flecks of saliva flew out of his mouth from the intensity of his words.

"Do you know how painful the torture you put us through was?"

A haunting feeling crept up Xenovia's throat. It couldn't be. The reports said that all of them had died.

With every word Kiba struggled to stand. Finally, he used Asia as a crutch, and fixed a determined look filled with bitterness towards Valper. The man only raised an eyebrow.

"Do you even know any of our names?"

Everyone was staring at Kiba now. His skin was still sickly pale, and he was breathing hard. But he still stood defiant.

A look of realisation later, Valper gave him a genial smile. "Of course I remember, number seventeen. They couldn't find your body, but I thought they had simply mistaken you for someone else when they chucked the corpses into the incinerator."

He was one of them. A product of one of the Church's most shameful experiment. And it hurt her, for her to say that it was 'one of the' and not simply 'the'. She actually felt sorry for him, until she remembered he was a Devil. He turned his back on God. She paused in her thoughts. But hadn't God turned his back on him first?

She immediately dismissed that thought - it bordered on blasphemy.

"I'll kill you."

The words had barely been said before Kiba rushed forward, a sinister-looking blade in his hand appearing out of nowhere. Asia struggled to stop him, but even in his injured and shackled state the blond boy proved too fast for her, leaping out of her reach with his bound legs.

Valper met the threat unflinchingly. He raised a hand. His fingers snapped.

Immediately sensing the danger, Kiba leapt backwards, and not a moment too soon. Within the next heartbeat, light spears rained unto the ground, and they jutted out from the floor like spikes on a porcupine where Kiba had just been standing.

The Fallen. She had not managed to warn Minato of them. They descended from the ceiling, through cracks in the roof or windows, or simply climbing out of dark hiding spots. The numbered in the dozens, and their black wings painted an illusion of a starless night sky.

Valper raised his arms, gesturing towards the army of Fallen above him. He laughed hysterically.

"Do you see now? My plan is unstoppable! You will _all_ die tonight. Do you think you can stand up to them? What can you do, even with your swords and half-baked Devil skills? They're _Real_ Angels, made from the thoughts of God himself. And unless you have mastered those Holy swords, you don't even stand a chance. Give up now, and you will at least die a quick death."

The group of Fallen did not visibly react to his words. She stopped herself from shaking. She had not managed to see them clearly earlier, but now that they were all in front of her, she really knew that their efforts would be futile. The six-winged Fallen that led the lower-winged Angels was equivalent to a Mid-class Devil. She had fought one before, but it had been very difficult and he managed to get away in the end. But they were outnumbered, and the Fallen outranked them greatly in experience and teamwork. The situation looked darker than bleak.

Her heart dropped. It was over. Even with his superior swordsmanship, Minato was pushed into a corner. He wouldn't be able to reach them. They would hide in the sky and pelt him with an unstoppable wave of light spears. No matter how good his defense, he could not stop them all, and only one of them needed to hit and everything would end.

"Run!" Xenovia yelled. "You still have a chance! Go! Spread the word! tell them of the treachery of the Fallen! We'll be fine!"

Around her, the others nodded. Their faces were set in grim determination. They knew their fate, but Minato's survival was much more important.

"No," Valper cut them off, "step out of this church, and they will be first to die."

Just as Asia began to sob, he silenced them with four daring words.

"Nobody is dying tonight."

There was a pause and he seemed deep in thought. Then he pointed Durandal straight at Valper, who took a step back instinctively.

"Except maybe you."

* * *

He didn't like killing. He really didn't. Which was why when he did, he made sure that it was him that did it. Not his Personas.

Certainly, Roland's power had flooded his body, and it was the Paladin's skill and knowledge that allowed him to fight on par with Freed. But ultimately, he was the one that made the choice to end Freed's life, and it was him that had felt the resistance of the madman's flesh as he plunged Durandal through it. He still remembered the shocked expression the man had worn. It had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he did not regret it. Not when he saw Issei, his body still hanging limply, head hung down which caused his brown locks of hair to cover his eyes.

Asia was trying yank out the nails that pinned him to the cross, and he could see her fingers blistering from the contact with the holy object. He desperately wanted to help her, but one of the Fallen called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

His six-wings flapped as he descended to the ground. "You are the one that Lord Kokabiel spoke of, right?"

Slowly, he nodded. The Fallen had spoken just loud enough for only him to hear."

To his surprise, the man offered a deep bow. "I have been ordered to test your abilities. I offer you this one chance to leave now. If not, not even Lord Kokabiel's favour will be enough to save you."

"If I pass?" He asked.

"You and your friends walk free."

"If i fail?"

He shrugged. "Everybody dies."

"What are you talking about!? Fallen, kill him already! I-" A light spear suddenly sunk into the wall next to Valper, and the man gulped and kept quiet.

"Quiet, apostate. This matter is above you." The Fallen leader turned back to him, awaiting his response.

He sighed. It was such a theatrical and dramatic way of settling things. "Wait," he requested loudly enough for the rest to hear, "let me free their bonds first."

The Angel considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I find how they are treated distasteful as well. Go ahead. If any of them runs however, they'll be the first to die."

He nodded, and so did they.

"I believe in you, Arisato-kun!" Said Asia as he approached them. Her hands were still glowing green, pressed on Issei's chest, negating the effect of the cross as much as she could.

He went to Issei first. The boy had lost consciousness, and he was certain that it was only Asia's constant application of Twilight Healing that he was alive at all.

In one motion, he yanked out the nails. Blood leaked out of the holes in his hands and feet. But he did not care, and he caught Issei's body as it tumbled forward. His back looked terrible. It reminded him of burn victims he saw on news websites. His skin was completely peeled off, and blood seeped out from the muscles and tissue that was exposed. Pus and plasma leaked where it had already begun to heal, but areas like those were rare. The damage was extensive, and he was certain some of the white patches he saw were parts of Issei's spine.

Next to him, Asia gasped. "Issei-kun..." she said weakly as he placed the boy on the ground, back facing up. With a swing of Durandal, he broke the chains that shackled her legs.

She rubbed her sore ankles. "Thank you," she murmured, before crawling forwards to heal what she could of Issei's mangled back.

He tried not to stare. And just this morning he had been his cheerful and noisy self. It was gut-wrenching to see his desk-mate reduced to such a state.

He moved on to the others. They offered him small words of thanks and encouragement.

Except Kiba. "Destroy that wretched sword," he had snarled. "Excalibur doesn't deserve to exist after what it's done."

He told him he would consider it. Kiba didn't look very happy at that.

Then he reached Xenovia. She was looking at him with apparent awe in her eyes. "Sorry," he said after releasing her from her restraints. "I didn't mean to use your sword."

She shook her head. "No, it was amazing!" She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her body. " _Teach me_." Her breath smelled of mint.

He looked at her. Stared into her vibrant cerulean eyes. They danced with excitement.

"You do know I've only had it for two minutes right?"

Her grip slackened. She looked embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed red. "I... I'm sorry. I just saw how expertly you used Durandal, and I guess I got a little hyped up. And-" she stopped, and she scrunched her nose up in bafflement. He had to admit it was cute to look at.

"How did you know Durandal was mine?" She blurted out.

"It told me." The blade had buzzed as he approached her earlier, and he managed to guess its intention.

Her eyes widened. But it was Irina, who was next to her who spoke first, "You can talk to it?" They looked at him, their gazes begging for an answer.

He felt a little uncomfortable under their scrutiny. "A little bit." He said.

They looked at him as thought they did not trust his words fully. They were interrupted, and he would admit he was slightly relieved, when the Fallen behind him cleared his voice. "Ahem. Time is ticking."

Reluctantly, their faces softened as worry took over their curiosity. "Can you win?" Xenovia asked hesitantly.

"Can I borrow Durandal for a little while longer?" He asked in return.

She nodded.

He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Then of course I can."

* * *

"Sixty versus one." He counted. "That hardly seems fair."

The senior Fallen shrugged. "It is not meant to be fair. But you will not be able to overcome the final hurdle if you cannot clear such a trivial task."

He nodded grimly. He had a point. Sixty Fallen were nothing if he wanted to stop Kokabiel's grand plan. But there was another catch.

"I made a promise," he said solemnly, "that nobody would die tonight." He stared at the group of Fallen. "I intend to keep that promise."

Some laughed. The others snickered. Some simply shook their heads, thinking he was naïve. The leader opened his arms in a welcoming manner instead.

"I invite you to try." His hands dropped.

As one, holy swords and spears made of light itself blazed to life in their palms. The leader's smile did not drop, but now there was something akin to hostility buried in it. "But I suggest not making promises you cannot keep."

He raised Durandal. "We'll see."

A wall of light flew at him as they threw their divine ordnance at him. Durandal roared to life in his hands. He channelled Roland's power through it, and it began to radiate light of its own.

The metal blade flared, a red aura surrounding it. The air in the room thickened, and a crater formed beneath his feet from the pressure the sword was exerting.

He pointed it straight towards the barrage of light coming down at him. His words had intended to come out as a whisper, yet he could hear it echoing throughout the church.

"Du-"

He swung his blade down, and he completed the rest of the word.

"-randal!"

The blade erupted. A red beam of energy as thick as a marble pillar burst forth from the tip. It blasted through the air, roaring through the hail of light, shattering the entire attack instantly. But it did not stop there. It continued on, straight towards the Fallen contingent.

By the time they realised the threat, it was too late to break apart their ranks. He smiled as their faces morphed into shock.

There was no need to break formation.

The beam of energy smashed through the roof, and debris crashed down. His attack faded away as it travelled through the night sky, and light from the moon shined through the new hole, illuminating the Fallen's faces.

There was confusion, and on some, relief, as they did a mental headcount of their numbers.

"You... missed?" Asked one of them in disbelief.

He had not. The blast of force went right where he had aimed. A small hole in the Fallen's formation, enough to scare them, but not actually harm any of them.

He shook his head. "I always keep my promises. None of you will die tonight."

This time they took his words more seriously. They exchanged looks with one another, their choppy body language showing that they were still slightly shaken by what he just did.

"That attack..." the six-winged Fallen look troubled. "If you wanted to, you could have killed us all, couldn't you?"

They were all staring at him now. Slowly, he nodded.

He seemed satisfied with it. "That's all I needed to know." He turned to his men. "We are leaving this place. The boy has passed with flying colours. We will return to Lord Kokabiel."

"Wait!" A strangled cry came from the balcony. The priest was pointing at the Fallen, his face contorted in anger. But it was desperation that plagued his voice. "You can't go yet! The Excaliburs! It's not completed yet! You promised you would only leave when all seven were reunited!"

He wondered who the priest was. And why Kiba was looking at him with so much hatred. He did not understand much of their previous conversation, but Kiba had been very passionate, and the man called Valper had not been painted in a very good light.

The Fallen looked as if he remembered something important. "Yes, I did promise that." There was a smug look on the priest's face. "But unlike the boy," the smugness fell, revealing fear, "I _don't_ always keep my promises."

"You can't just leave me here! They'll kill me!" Freed pointed at him.

He frowned. He had said 'maybe', hadn't he?

The Fallen smiled in response. "Don't worry, I won't leave you up there." The priest looked relieved as he swooped down, but the sinister way the Angel loomed in front of him made him quickly change his mind. "Wait," Valper began to backtrack, "what are you doing?" The Fallen's response was a violent shove.

The priest went sailing backwards, and the momentum sent him flying over the balcony railing. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud. His body remained still.

"By the way Valper," the Fallen smiled at him from above. The priest got up. There was blood dripping down the side of his head. He shook his head groggily. "They'll probably still kill you down there."

The Fallen leader met his eyes. "I'll be seeing you soon, Arisato Minato." With that parting note, he flew off into the night sky, the rest of the Fallen right on his tail.

His words seemed to jar Valper back into reality. He sat up straight, his face paling as he realised the entire room was now looking at him. Most of them did not look happy.

"Stay back!" He yelled, crawling backwards. From his robes he pulled something out, and pointed it at Asia. He tensed when it saw it was a gun, its barrel silver and shiny. "The gun shoots holy light! If it hits her, she'll die instantly! And nobody will be able to heal her!"

He probably could, actually. But he did not want to risk it. Asia and the rest were not in a physical state where they could defend themselves.

Valper sent him a crazed look. "The swords. Bring them here. I'm taking them with me." At first he did not respond. Valper squeezed the trigger. There was a loud bang, and a shining projectile made of light sailed right past Asia. "DO IT!" He was shouting now, panicking and desperate, "or the girl dies!"

They were looking at him, their eyes pleading. They had thought everything was over when the Fallen left. He grit his teeth. Valper was being a thorn in his side.

 _"Let me handle this._ "

It was not Roland, and the Roman warrior receded from his mind to make space for the newcomer. Durandal clattered to the floor uselessly.

" _If it is my swords that he is after, then it should be me that handles the situation."_

"That's right!" said Valper triumphantly. "Stand down. You wouldn't want your friends to die, do you?"

 _"He has tainted my greatest creation, drenching it in the blood of the innocent."_

He began to walk directly towards the priest. "What are you coming closer for? I told you to stay back!" He did not stop. "I'm warning you!" His eyes darted frantically. He continued, undaunted by Valper's threats. A shaking finger pulled the trigger. There was a burst of light. Asia squealed in terror, using her hands to shield her face. The rest could do nothing as time slowed down and they saw the round hurtle towards Asia.

 _"He will pay."_

Out of nowhere, a green vine appeared, and it wrapped itself around the bullet of light, causing it to come to a screeching stop. Its grip became tighter until the bullet fizzed out of existence.

 **"Thou art I,**

 **I art thou."**

The thick and heavy words permeated throughout the Church, seemingly without a source as it bounced off the walls. It shook them out of their frightened stupor, and they turned their heads to find the unseen speaker. Valper, seeing his attack stopped, pulled the trigger several more times. Empty clicks resounded, and he threw the unloaded gun away and started to crawl away, cursing with every step.

 **"I am the Dream Maker,**

 **the Sage of the Moon."**

As he spoke, the vine began to grow longer and become thicker, coiling around itself to form a three-dimensional shape. The rest looked at the floating phenomenon in curiosity, and in Valper's case, fear.

 **"I am the Eternal and Immortal,**

 **and my name and soul lives on in all who are worthy to take my place."**

It was a chair - no, a throne - made entirely out of wooden vines. Then it began to blossom. All species of flowers began to bloom, and the initial mundane piece of furniture suddenly turned into a work of art. With the flower's arrival, the entire ambience changed. The smell of spring lingered in the air, and the ruined church felt brighter and there was a warmth that was kindled in their bodies, turning the desolate atmosphere into a welcoming one.

 **"I am the Ruler of the realm of Avalon,**

 **Leader of the finest craftsmen in existence."**

Out of nowhere, leaves blew into the building, and they swirled to form the outline of a human sitting on the throne. Amidst the vortex, the silhouette began to move, standing up and floating in the air. The leaves started to change colour and texture, morphing in nature until they became skin-like. Then more leaves came, attaching themselves to the naked body where they became his clothes, fine and rich fabric that denoted its wearer's high status. By the time everything was finished, a black-haired human-like being was floating in the air. Twigs wrapped around the top of his head before blossoming, forming a crown made of flora. Any suspicions that the individual was human was completely wiped away when the pair of giant butterfly wings erupted from its back, glistening and glowing in the moonlight.

 **"I am Oberon,.**

 **King of the Fae Folk."**

* * *

 **A/N: Finally, the first public Persona reveal!**

 **Next chapt should be super long. Backstory timeeeee**

 **Review and PM me if you've got anything you wanna say, and don't forget to Fav and Follow, I wanna hit 2k favs and follows by chapt 20!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Whee chapter 10! turns out its not the doozy i announced it was going to be, but 10k words is still not bad right? On that note, I feel the need to point out that in this fic, while Rias and Sona were granted high-class devils by their birth, I want them to be people that actually trained hard to live up to the expectation that came with the title. So they'll be slightly stronger and mature here than in canon. Hope ya'll don't mind.**

 **Thanks mah man Shaded for Beta-ing**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

 **"Every one of the objects crafted by the Fae,**

 **I see as a child of my own."**

Oberon's ornate wings fluttered as he hovered towards the Excalibur on the ground. As if reacting to his presence, the Holy Sword began to rattle on the ground. He raised a hand, and the sword flew into his grasp. He studied it, rotating and turning the sword as a smile appeared on his face.

 **"I do not like playing favourites. But I will admit that I am most proud of this one."**

Still on all fours, Valper whimpered. He tried to back up further, but when his back suddenly pressed against the wall, he yelped out in fright.

 **"It has told me of the Sins and Crimes you have committed, all done in its name."**

A fog built up around the blade, clouding it from view. Instead, images and scenes began to project onto the mist from an unseen source.

 **"A majestic sword, built to symbolise hope and eternal victory"**

A circle of children sat around a man dressed in priest robes. They looked captivated by the story the man was telling. He looked at the cover of the book.

 _The Sword in the Stone._

 **"Forged by the greatest of crafters, blessed by the greatest of gods."**

The scene changed, and it showed a strange exotic land. It was a village hidden in a forest, where giant trees and leaves the size of buildings and ships hid the settlement. Flocks of miniature butterfly-winged humanoids hovered in the air. In the centre, a lone blade stood on a pedastal. It was incomplete, missing its hilt and its guard, but still distinctly recognizable.

 **"It was meant to be wielded by Man. But not any mere man. Only the worthy. Only those that would become kings and legends."**

The previous image swirled out of existence, a new one taking its place. It was the same children as before, except now they were lined up. At the head of the queue, an Exorcist sat on a seat. He had an amused smile on his face. In front of him, a child was crouched down, face scrunched up in exertion as he tried to lift up a sword on the ground. Around him, a crowd of disappointed faces watched on. They must have been rejected by the sword as well. The child had blond eyes and grey eyes that were deep in concentration. The angelic features on his face hinted to the beauty the child would have possessed when he grew up. The wince on Kiba's face behind him did not go unnoticed.

The image disappeared, and nothing replaced it. Their eyes returned to Oberon, who floated towards the terrified priest.

 **"You were not worthy. You still are not."**

The fear turned to hurt, then to hate. "I loved them!" For a moment, he thought Valper was referring to the children instead of the swords. "I spent my _whole life_ studying them! I was enthralled by their legendary tales of greatness! You can't blame me!"

 **"I do not blame you for seeking them. But you tainted them. And that is something I _do_ blame you for."**

The images returned. It showed a series of scenes in quick succession. It had only one person featured in them. It was a younger-looking Valper, appearing distraught and devastated. But that did not mean he was alone. He was always accompanied by a different sword. But one that remained firmly on its stand.

 **"You persisted. You sought the greatness and the glory that came with the sword. You still do. You are wrong. The greatness comes _before_ the sword."**

The next image came. It showed various tests being run on the children. Blood samples, coordination tests, and dozens of others where men and women in white coats took notes on a clipboard.

 **"You wanted to find the qualities that would make you worthy. And when you could not, you pushed even further, beyond the limits of morality and ethics."**

The next few pictures made him recoil in disgust, and his opinion of Valper fell to even lower than the sewers. They were no longer children. They had become lab rats, who had all kinds of modifications made to their body. They cut their bodies open. He saw child-size lumps under white sheets being carted away on stretchers right in front of the others.

 **"You became the very monster that Excalibur was meant to protect humanity from. And when your deeds were discovered, what did you do?"**

He felt the bile rise up in his throat. What children remained were herded into a room and locked in. He saw them begin to suffocate, their hands clawing at their throats. When they collapsed, it was with stark-open eyes and faces locked in terror and fear.

 **"You _denied_. Instead of taking responsibility, you tried to run. To cover up your sins and your atrocities. _Like a coward_."**

The words were spat out with venom. And Valper could do nothing as the King of Fae walked up to him.

 **"You are not worthy. And you never will be."**

"Shut up!" Valper screamed, pressing his hands against his ears. "You don't understand!"

 **"I understand enough to know that you are worse than scum, and eradicating you existence would be doing the world a service."**

"You can't kill me! I'm the only one that knows how to reforge Excalibur! I'm the only one that knows how to restore its greatness!" The franticness in Valper's voice only earned the ire of Oberon, who spat out his next words.

 **"Such arrogance in the face of the very one who made that sword. Greatness? There is nothing great about the weapon you have forged."**

There was a flash of anger in Valper's eyes. He wanted to retort, but Oberon's hand silenced him. He pointed towards the group at the altar, who all this time had remained in silent reverence.

 **"You do not believe me?**

 **Ask any of them. Excalibur was a sword meant to _lead_. Its presence raises the spirit of Man, and inspires those around it to commit their own great deeds. The sword you have made through such vile methods does none of that."**

Their eyes darted towards the blade on the ground. There were a few grimaces, and even Asia had fear plastered all over her face. Kiba spoke first, his fist tightening as he tried not to let his words sound like a growl. "It should be destroyed. My friends died in its name. Died for nothing."

Oberon looked thoughtful.

 **"Destroyed?"**

Valper's eyes widened in horror. He was not the only one. "King Oberon!" Protested the two Exorcists. "You can't!" Irina spoke for the both of them. "The Excaliburs are treasured artifacts of the Church! We can't allow them to be destroyed!"

Oberon tilted his head, looking at the two exorcists in curiosity. His eyes settled on Xenovia, who gulped when she realised she was the subject of his attention.

 **"You, wielder of Durandal.**

 **Do you like it? I remember spending many nights planning the design of the Peerless Blade."**

Realising he was actually waiting for a response, Xenovia nodded her head.

 **"And if somebody broke it? If somebody smashed Durandal to pieces with another sword? How would you react?"**

He realised Oberon was testing her. Xenovia furrowed her eyebrows. "Then it's not Durandal," she said resolutely. "It would not be called the Peerless Blade if there exists another sword that can match it."

He smiled. She had passed. Oberon dipped his head in approval.

 **"You are right. It would not.**

 **The same applies to Excalibur. It cannot be the sword of Everlasting Hope and the Promised Victory if it has caused so much pain to the innocent. It may look similar, but Excalibur this sword is not. Excalibur would never let someone as repulsive as that previous Exorcist hold it."**

The fog that had veiled the sword vanished, and it fell to the floor. Oberon beckoned towards Kiba. Hesitantly, the Devil walked towards him. "If it is not Excalibur... then what is it?"

 **"A cheap imitation made from its ashes. Excalibur is not a Holy Sword. It does not discriminate against Devils. It judges all equally, like a fair King should. This sword does not. It has been corrupted, not just with Valper's misdeeds, but also by Heaven's influence."**

Oberon picked it up. He looked at it with disgust.

 **"It was once my greatest creation. A sword made for Man, used to fight for Man. Now it is nothing more than a toothpick for the Church. I will cleanse it, and free it from the filth that clings to it."**

"But if you do that," asked Asia innocently, longing in her voice, "when will we be able to see the light of Excalibur again?"

Oberon tapped his chin. He smiled.

 **"When someone worthy appears. The sword will know, and it will rebuild itself from its ashes. Caliburn will return to its rightful place in the Earth. And when the King-to-be draws Caliburn, Excalibur will descend from Avalon into his hands, where he will forge a new path for humanity."**

Asia looked someone disappointed. Oberon noticed.

 **"If it is any consolation, that will happen sooner than you think."**

Her eyes lit up. A fracturing sound was heard. "The sword!" Gasped out Kiba. The fake Excalibur was splintering, its texture degrading from polished metal to hardened clay as cracks ran through its length. Then without warning, it shattered like glass, and the space that Excalibur once occupied was left with a smattering of golden snowflake-like powder.

"My... my sword!" Valper cried out. He clambered towards Oberon's feet, trying to use his hands to collect whatever golden dust he could. "I can fix this... I can rebuild it. Just need to collect enough of the remains-"

His words were cut short when someone kicked his arms, and what little he had piled onto his hands vanished into thin air.

 **"I am not done with you yet."**

Slack-jawed, Valper squealed. He tried to backpedal away, but his path was blocked by a pair of legs. He tilted his head up to look. It was Kiba. He was holding a sword, and its point was aimed right at Valper.

 **"You have brought shame to Man. You have defiled its greatest weapon. You have killed the innocent. Your transgressions will not go unpunished."**

In front of the looming man and his outstretched wings, Valper did the unthinkable. He sank to his knees and began to pray. It was panicky, and he snivelled as he did so.

 **"No god can save you now. You will meet a fate you righteously deserve."**

For a moment, Valper's lips stopped quivering. "Wait!" He shot his hand out. He pulled something out of his robes with his other. It was black and bulky, and for a moment he thought the man had another trick hidden up his sleeve. It was a book. He flipped it open, fanning the pages towards Oberon. Handwritten notes and diagrams filled its pages.

"This," Valper declared with a small hint of pride in his voice, "is my life's work. Everything about Excalibur I've managed to dig up, including how to reforge it." Then the pain could be heard. "Take it." He offered his hand, the book still in it, towards Oberon.

The Fae King looked at it before accepting it. Without taking a second glance, the book erupted into cinders in his hands.

 **"Like I said, that is not Excalibur. The blade will be reforged, and its light will illuminate the night sky once more. But it will not be by your hand, Valper Galilei."**

He raised a hand. Valper, still shell-shocked by the unannounced destruction of his research, began to grovel.

"Please don't kill me! I'll redeem myself, I swear, I'll do anything, become a better man!"

He was a good judge of character. He knew the man wouldn't. That was why he was surprised when Oberon smiled kindly at the priest.

 **"Okay. I won't kill you."**

For a moment, the man's face lit up with hope. Then Oberon pointed behind him. There was a deranged look in the Kiba's eyes, and his sword hand was already up in the air.

 **"He will."**

The blade came crashing to the ground.

* * *

It was arguably the strangest night of Xenovia's life ever since she was exposed to the supernatural world. And maybe also the scariest.

Alot had happened. She had nearly died. She had met one of the few godkings that existed. She had witnessed the strangest and most magnificent battle in her life.

She would have called it amazing if only the Excaliburs hadn't been destroyed. She doubted her superiors would accept King Oberon's logic, and the Fae King could not back her up because he vanished to wherever he had come from right after Kiba killed Valper.

She looked at his decapitated corpse, his severed head a few inches away from where it had once been attached to his neck. She was used to such gruesome sights. She had caused some of them herself.

Then she looked at the one who seemed to be at the centre of everything. He had dragged the two corpses next to each other, and now towered over them, as though he was guarding them. An unreadable expression was etched onto his face.

Arisato Minato.

The one that could seem to be able to hold any Holy Sword he pleased. The one that had garnered the attention of Kokabiel, a Grigori leader. The one that somehow managed to earn the favour of Fae Folk.

She connected the dots in her head. Suddenly everything made sense. The aforementioned wings. The affinity with Holy swords. The ability to call King Oberon. Her eyes bugged out. Was such a thing even possible?

She was about to confront him, to confirm her suspicions. But she was interrupted by a shout that rang out from the entrance.

"What happened?!" It was Rias Gremory, her signature flaming red hair the first thing that gave away her identity.

She was not alone. Her Queen, Akeno Himejima was standing next to her. The usual elegant, if somewhat coy, expression on her face was missing. Her eyes were stern, her lips set in a straight line. She leaned forward slightly, getting ready to fight at a moment's notice.

Behind them, standing in formation, was the student council. They stood in a defensive semicircle, Sona in the centre. Xenovia had met them after the events in the abandoned building. The two Peerages gave off completely feelings. If Sona's peerage had felt like a disciplined and united army, then Rias' had appeared as a ragtag group of skilled mercenaries, relying more on individual talents than teamwork.

For a moment, they were still, trying to absorb their surroundings. Of course the dead bodies attracted their attention first. She saw some of them gain queasy looks. Perhaps it was their first time seeing a corpse? She looked, there were still little spurts of blood coming out of Valper's neck.

Not a good first time, Xenovia had to admit.

But they quickly adopted looks of alarm when they realised the state of their comrades. Most of their wounds had been healed, courtesy of Asia. She had left the the minor scrapes and bruises unattended in lieu of a more pressing concern.

"Issei!" Rias and Akeno burst forward towards the Boosted Gear user, concern written all over their faces. Asia was still sitting by his side, beads of sweat dripping down her eyebrows as she focused on repairing his body.

His injuries were no longer as grave as before, but they were still unpleasant to look at.

A vengeful look appeared on the Devil's face. Her hair began to whip around as a black aura rose around her.

" _Who did this."_

For a moment, their eyes met. She was no longer looking at the same high-school girl as before. Rias Gremory served as the perfect reminder that she was surrounded by Devils. She pointed towards the pair of corpses.

Rias' presence eased, and she relaxed somewhat. The rest of newcomers had jogged up to join them.

They looked uncomfortable, many throwing glances at the blue-haired boy standing by the bodies and the sword in his hand. _Her sword_ , she had to remind herself. He looked deep in thought, and gave off a feeling that he did not want to be disturbed.

"Tell me _everything_ that happened." Rias said. It was not a request, but a demand. Next to her, Irina gulped.

"Well..." the long-haired girl began unsteadily, "it all started when I confronted Issei after school..."

And so they recounted the events that started hours ago. The Devils kept quiet the whole time, absorbing every word with rapt attention. Rias would occasionally send looks of concern towards Issei, who Asia was still healing. His condition was improving, which did much to allay the redhead's fear.

When they were done with the story, the Devils had a healthy amount of skepticism on their faces. Xenovia did not blame them. To imagine that a human was able to do what they had described... she would have called anyone else crazy.

But Arisato Minato was not human. At least, not completely, if her suspicions were right.

"He's part fairy," she declared proudly after they were done. "The wings, the ability to hold Fae-made weapons. The connection to King Oberon. It's the only way things make sense." She looked at the stunned expressions on their faces, smiling in satisfaction at her deductive abilities.

Then Akeno Himejima had to burst her bubble with that annoyingly serene tone of hers. "Oh. But he had Angel wings, not fairy ones."

Xenovia's smug grin dropped. An...gel wings?

Then tilting her head as if trying to recall something important, Akeno added innocently, "oh, and he had twelve of them, too!"

She whipped her head at Arisato Minato, wanting to demand answers.

Xenovia blinked. Following her lead, the rest turned towards where they had last seen the blue-haired boy as well, right next to the bodies. They too, had similarly surprised expressions at the sight that greeted them.

Arisato Minato was gone.

And so were the two bodies.

* * *

He knew they would ask answers. He was not in the mood to answer them. He looked at the hole he had dug in front of him. It wasn't very deep, far shallower than real graves. But the shovel he had found was rusty. And he was tired. None of his Personas had volunteered to assist him in the menial task, and he was rather glad of that fact. This was something he wanted to do himself.

He rolled the two bodies into the pit. He considered going in to make their postures abit more... peaceful, instead of the mangled mess they were currently in. Then he realised there was no point. He doubted there were people that would mourn for them.

As he covered the pit, scoop by scoop, he could hear the sound of people running behind him.

"Arisato-san!"

So Issei was healed. He stopped and turned around. The boy had a grin on his face, even though he was half dead less than thirty minutes ago. His top was still bare, but now he was clothed in scars and bruises. A large improvement from earlier.

Behind him was the others. The Gremory and Sitri Peerages, as well as the two Exorcists. "What are you doing here, Arisato-san?" Asked Issei.

He took a step to the side, letting the freshly-covered grave come into their view. The only thing that served as a tombstone was the rusty shovel, which was jutting out of the soil.

For a moment, they did not understand. It was Sona who spoke first, eyes broadening in realisation. "You... buried them?"

He nodded.

They looked confused. "Why?"

He thought about it for a moment. It had just felt right to him. Then he realised why. "Because nobody else would."

They looked like they wanted to ask more, but he quickly changed the subject. Durandal was leaning on a short wall at the side, and he reached over to grab it.

"Here, it's yours." He passed it to Xenovia. Gingerly she accepted it. She looked troubled, and for a moment he thought she would return it. "Are you sure?"

He cocked his head. He supposed the girl had yet to master Durandal and its many abilities. His earlier display must have made her feel... inadequate.

"It wants you." He said, "it told me."

Xenovia pursed her lips, not looking entirely convinced. He sighed, "I can only wield Durandal so far." It was true, he would never be able to surpass Roland's skill. "Only a _true_ wielder of Durandal like you can make use of its infinite potential."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Xenovia when he finished that last statement. "So it's true? That you're not actually a real Holy Sword user? And that it's only because of your circumstances that you can use them?"

For a moment, he could only stare. Did the girl know of his origins?

"Are you a fairy?"

* * *

They left shortly after he had clarified to a disappointed Xenovia that no, he was not a fairy, and that he was perfectly human. They were exhausted, and he could see that. He promised he would tell them more in school the next day. At first, they seemed reluctant, but when Issei collapsed face first into the ground without warning from fatigue, they relented.

He stayed behind to finish up the grave, and he was finally done. His arms genuinely ached. He needed to get back in shape.

"Did you mourn for them?"

His blood chilled. "How long have you been here?"

"I've followed you since the park," Kokabiel replied smoothly, walking into his field of vision.

"That... is an invasion of my privacy." He declared, more than annoyed at the Fallen.

Kokabiel shrugged nonchalantly. "God is always watching."

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said He's dead."

"Oh He is. That's why I'm watching for Him."

He sighed. "What do you want now, Kokabiel?"

The Fallen suddenly adopted a very serious face. "Answers. I want answers, many answers. From you."

He frowned. "I'll need to know the questions, won't I?"

Kokabiel tapped his chin. "Okay... how come you can wield Durandal? And instantly use its abilities, which took even Roland himself a year to do?"

He pursed his lips. So Kokabiel had seen everything. But the Fallen was not done asking questions.

"How come you can call Charon, Ferryman of the Dead, and get him to be your personal chauffeur? How come you can summon King Oberon, _Godking_ _of the Fae Folk himself_?"

His words died in throat. For all the intensity behind his words, Kokabiel was not angry. If anything, he sounded excited, like a child on Christmas morning.

And finally, the last question. "Where have you been all these years? I've spent the past few centuries looking for someone like you."

He took a deep breath. He still didn't know if he could trust Kokabiel. His brain was telling him not to, after all the man was planning an apocalyptic war. But something in his gut told him things just weren't that simple.

Kokabiel must have sensed his uncertainty, because a look of understanding spread across his features. "You don't trust me." The man seemed remarkably calm. "A natural response," he admitted, but a smile graced his lips. "Let me tell you a story instead."

"A story?" He questioned.

Kokabiel nodded. "That's right. A tale of a young boy."

He did not know where Kokabiel wanted to go with this but he doubted the Fallen meant him any real harm. Kokabiel took his loosening of muscles as a go-ahead to start his story.

"There was once a young woman-"

His lips curled downwards. "I thought the story was about a boy."

Kokabiel looked slightly irritated at being interrupted. "It is. But every boy has a mother, so shut up and listen."

His mouth snapped shut, and Kokabiel resumed his story, "the woman was a whore who bore a child. A boy."

At seeing his mouth begin to open, Kokabiel sighed. "Yes, this is the boy in the story. Now pay attention."

Again, he clicked his mouth shut, and Kokabiel continued, adopting a dreamy look.

"The mother knew she could not care for the child, for she had tried for a year and failed. So she took the child to the nearby Church, leaving the her son at its doorstep.

But the resident priests and nuns were out, and the boy braved the cold winter winds for a whole night. When the priest returned, he found a starved and freezing child, whose skin was blue and had cried so much that his tears had frozen into icicles on his cheeks."

 _An elderly man ran up, immediately picking the wrapped up bundle. The blanketed child began to stir at being moved, cracking open eyelids that had been frozen shut._

 _"Hushh, child. Thou cannot afford to lose any more energy." The priest cooed fatherly, but his movements were hurried as he tried to unlock the doors. The boy began to cry. The priest tried to pacify him, rocking him in his arms, but the boy only wailed louder._

 _"Why do thou cry so loud, young one? Is it because thy mother has forsaken thou? Is it because of the cold and the pain that aches thy body?" Then he realised the boy was not looking at him. His gaze was directed behind him, and when the priest turned to look, his jaw dropped._

 _On a branch on the tree behind him, there was bird, no older than a hatchling. The harsh winds had ripped its nest apart, and he could see the tattered remains hanging on a tree branch. The fledgling bird, which no doubt did not know how to fly, was hanging from the destroyed nest with a single claw. The boy's cries dimmed, and he could hear the desperate chirping of the baby bird._

 _"Is this what distresses thou? The poor bird that kept thou company through the night? Its home devastated, and exposed to the same cold winds as thou?"_

 _As if agreeing, the boy began to gurgle. The priest grimaced. There was no time to waste if he wanted to save the boy. But the boy clearly had other priorities. He climbed up the tree, and scooped the bird into his palms._

 _He quickly returned to the boy, placing the bird in the basket as the boy. The boy did not respond, and the priest realised that he was no longer conscious. He placed a hand on the boy's forehead. It was becoming colder by the second._

 _Panic gripping at his heart, he quickly unlocked and pushed the door open, praying as he did so._

 _"Please Lord, I humbly beg of thou, spare some mercy for this poor child. He has a heart made of pure gold, and kindness of unparalleled depth. He does not deserve this fate, and should he grow up, he would no doubt bring great light to the world. He would be a bright star in an endless dark night."_

 _When he turned around the pick the child up, he did a double take. The basket was empty, barring a single sparrow that was hopping about._

Minato raised an eyebrow. "What happened to the boy? Did someone take him?"

Kokabiel laughed. "Yes, someone did. God heard the priest's prayers, and took pity on the dying child. He spirited away the child to Heaven. But the boy was too far gone, hanging to life by only the thinnest of threads. Even God cannot bring back the dead. So he did everything he could to revive the child, pumping his own energy and presence into the child."

 _"You'll live." A man smiled as he caressed the child's forehead. The boy was sleeping soundly on his lap. The man scratched his beard, and for a moment he looked truly aged, his wrinkles furrowing as he thought about something deeply._

 _"I was certain the human child would not make it." There was a crowd of spectators - all his children. All of them were dressed in white robes, and the halos above their heads glowed brightly in his presence. The one who spoke was one of his eldest, the one he trusted the most ever since the Great Fall._

 _"He's a fighter, Michael." He smiled as he combed the boy's jet black hair. "He will grow up strong, I can feel it."_

 _"Of course he will," this time a different Angel spoke. "You flooded his tiny body with so much of your power. There's no way he's still human."_

 _The man frowned. "You might be right. Only time will tell, Metatron."_

"The boy. He became an Angel?" Minato asked. Something was nagging at him. Something about the way Kokabiel spoke of the boy seemed... off.

Kokabiel nodded. "Yes he did. God's power was too much, and the holy power coursing through him caused the boy to turn into an Angel. A very powerful one, at that."

 _"Whoa!" The boy giggled hysterically. He was grown up now, and looked to be about thirteen years old. Across the room, a target board was peppered with light spears. Dozens of them crowded onto a piece of wood the size of a average human. None of them had missed. "Did you see that, Big Brother Uriel? I'm amazing!"_

 _The Archangel next to him shook his head in disapproval, but a wry smile adorned his handsome face. He tapped the teen's head lightly. "Humility, young one. How many times have I told you pride is a sin? But yes... your ability to create and control your light spears is somewhat... above average. Good job."_

 _The boy smiled abashedly. "If I keep this up, do you think Father will unseal my fourth pair of wings soon?"_

 _Uriel considered his words. "Perhaps. We will have to wait and see. But do not be so hasty. It will be a long time before he will let you use all twelve of your wings. Until then, keep training hard. I will see you soon."_

 _Six pairs of wings burst forth from Uriel's back and he sailed into the sky. The boy stood in the Archangel's shadow, his face filled with admiration as he stared at the diminishing Angel._

 _"One day," he swore to himself, "I'm going to get twelve white wings just like Big Brother Uriel!"_

"An Archangel?" He asked in disbelief. "The child turned from human to an Archangel with twelve wings?"

"Yes, many Angels were surprised as well. It was the first time a human became an Angel. And God kept it a secret only known to those who there at the time, all of whom were Archangels themselves. The child was an anomaly, and God paid particular attention to his upbringing."

 _"Father." He was nearly a man now. His voice was lower, and his once scrawny arms were now packed with lean muscle._

 _"How goes your training? I heard from Uriel that you are taking eight wings quite well." Kindness was not enough to describe the way he talked. Benevolence, understanding, concern, the boy felt it all._

 _He beamed. "Yea! I'm kicking butt! I made Big Brother Metatron use both hands yesterday! He'd better watch out once I get all twelve wings! I'll kick his butt to the moon!"_

 _The old man chuckled, mirth evident in his eyes. "I would like to see that." But there was something else, a hint of melancholy and sadness. "Are you sure you want twelve wings though? Once you do, you'll be a full-fledged Archangel. You'll have duties, responsibilities, roles that you will not be able to run from. You'll be the one in charge, and everyone will look up to you. You will literally have the power to alter the course of the world as you see fit. Are you sure you want that?"_

 _For the briefest of instances, he was unsure. But grim determination filled his heart. "Of course I'm sure! You told me the story of my birth, yea? You said I'll bring light to this world. Of course I can't back down! I'm gonna bring so much light, that there'll never be night again!"_

 _It was that sheer confidence, the gusto, the conviction that made God laugh. "Now_ that _is something I would like to see. The Star of God, Bringer of Light. My son Kokabiel, never lose that fire in your heart. Promise me that."_

 _The boy smiled a smile so bright it put even the sun to shame. "I promise! You can count on me, Father!"_

For a moment, there was silence. There hadn't been an ounce of dishonesty in Kokabiel's words, but he still found it very difficult to believe. "That boy," he finally conceded. "It was you?"

Kokabiel dipped his head. "Fascinating childhood I had right? To grow up surrounding by the holiest beings in the world, trying to match up to them. They still remain as my most treasured memories." The distant look he had showed how much nostalgia the Fallen was experiencing.

"But you Fell," the confusion leaked out of his voice. "How?"

Kokabiel looked at a non-existent watch on his hand. "Oh would you look at the time, it's getting late! That's a story for another time, I guess. Unfortunately, I have things to do and places to be."

He frowned. But before he could voice his objections, Kokabiel's features softened.

"Well, I've told you my story. I hope one day you can trust me with yours, Arisato Minato."

And leaving only a few raven feathers drifting in the wind, the Fallen vanished into the night sky.

Minato grimaced. He had come to learn many things about Kokabiel since they first met. And he had decided on one thing.

He didn't want Kokabiel to die.

* * *

When he walked back in, Raynare was waiting for him on the sofa. There was a trace of impatience on her eflish features. But when she saw how tired and haggard he looked, and the specks of blood that soiled his clothes, the expression dropped, and something that could only be described as marginal concern took over her face.

"Did you get in a fight?" She asked.

He nodded.

She looked at him expectantly. Reluctantly, he recounted to her the events that had transpired in the Church, leaving out the little chat with Kokabiel. If anything, she did not look surprised.

"Roland." She said.

"Yes."

"King Oberon."

"Yes."

She looked resigned. "You have an army of all-powerful beings in you."

"... maybe a little bigger than an army." He confessed. To be frank, he did not know the actual number. But he was certain that he could match most mundane armies man-for-man.

She rolled her eyes. "That's beside the point. I can't even _begin to imagine_ the amount of power residing in you. Yet, look at you!" She gestured towards his body.

He looked down to himself. Sure, the grave-digging had made him slightly dirty, and perhaps all that physical activity might have made him sweat and smell, but he felt he was still somewhat presentable.

Then Raynare began to raise her voice.

"What are you even doing? You're squandering your power away! Trying to keep a low profile when you should be out there!" She swung her arms wildly, pointing out the window, "you should be using your abilities to change the world to make it the way you want it!"

The rant had left her breathless. He tried to avoid looking at her chest, which was heaving up and down. Instead, he found himself staring into into her violet eyes. There was hurt in them, a small amount of desperation, and still a significant amount of fear. She caught him looking, and her gaze dodged away.

He sunk onto a chair. He was tired. His body ached, and his mind was still recovering from Kokabiel's story. But Raynare had a point.

What was he trying to do?

He thought back to how he had lived his life so far. He found himself aimless, following where the wind took him. A purposeless life. He wondered why he felt so empty.

Raynare looked at him, and for the first time, there was sadness in her eyes. "You're broken, aren't you?"

He looked up. "Maybe." Then in a soft whisper, he added, "I wouldn't know."

Raynare flopped herself onto the sofa again. "This is a joke. You're supposed to be my keeper. But you're just as broken as me." She laughed, "what a cruel world."

He frowned at her negativity. But she was not wrong. "That's why we've got to fix it." He said. Raynare looked up to him, an indescribable expression on her face. "And we'll patch ourselves up while we're at it."

Raynare shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You go do that then, mister hero, I'm going to bed."

He stayed in his seat as Raynare disappeared into her room. He stayed there until his eyelids grew heavy, and his dreams took him away.

* * *

For a moment, he thought he returned to the Sea of Souls. But it was clear he had not. The cavernous room around him was empty, devoid of Personas that should have inhabited the place. It was too dark, and an ambient green light was the only thing that illuminated the place. There was an eerie atmosphere, cold, even, and he could feel a chill run up through his spine.

Then he moved. He had not commanded his body to do so - it had done so on his own. At first he tried to stop it, but it would not obey. That's when he realised that he was not the one in control.

His body walked up to a window, and he saw Port City stretched out before him. They were not very high up: less than twenty stories off the ground. But it was not the same Port City that decorated the exterior of the Sea of Souls. The trains were occupied, the streets were filled with cars, and the pavements were crowded. But not with humans.

They were coffins. Coffins, standing upright, took the place where humans normally would have. In frozen trains, they stood, packed like sardines. In stationary cars they sat in the driver's seat. They stood in circles where groups of friends would normally hang out.

The sound of footsteps caused the body to turn. It was Yukari. Her brown hair was swept to the side, her shoulder-length hair bobbing up and down as she jogged towards him. She looked exactly how he remembered, and there was swelling feeling in his heart as she walked up to him, her characteristic grin on her face.

"Minato-kun!" She said happily, and he so desperately wanted to respond. But his body refused to listen, and the girl continued to speak. "It's official! This floor is cleared! We can start the next one tomorrow! Climbing Tartarus has been so easy ever since you came, yea!"

The scene swirled and changed, and the yearning feeling in his heart only intensified when he caught sight of the red-haired girl running next to him.

 _Mitsuru_.

She was panting, and sweat coated her body as they climbed up the stairs. His head turned. Orpheus and Penthesilea hovered in the air behind them.

"We're almost there, Minato. We'll make it. They won't get Yukari, that I swear." Mitsuru grunted grimly as they reached the next level.

He wanted to ask who was chasing Yukari, when they came to a sudden stop, and he knew the answer a moment later.

They swarmed out. Through holes in the ceilings, from behind pillars, around corners. Their black writhing masses only identified by white masks. They came in all shapes and sizes. Some were like giant spiders, having eight elongated legs supporting a small body that had a grinning porcelain face on it. Then there were the behemoths, creatures that had to bend down to avoid the ceiling. There were too many in total of the grotesque creatures to count.

Next to him, Mitsuru growled. " _Shadows_."

* * *

He woke up in cold sweat. What was that?

Was that... a memory? The Shadows. Climbing Tartarus.

Suddenly past experiences came crashing back into his mind. He remembered now.

The Velvet room. Igor. _Elizabeth_. It felt ages ago, but Red had mentioned that the white-haired girl was the one that brought him here. He tried to focus on that, but more flashbacks hit him.

The Dark Hour. SEES. While the rest of the world was frozen in time, they would climb up the Tower known as Tartarus. They would face its challenges, defeating swarm after swarm of Shadows with their Personas all to reach to the top of Tartarus. And when they did...

He paused. He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember why they were climbing that damned Tower. He could tell he was close and that whatever he was missing was the key to everything.

Then he heard the sirens.

"Attention, this is a tsunami warning. All residents in Kuoh City are advised to head to the nearest shelter immediately. This is not a drill." The sound of an automated PA system rang throughout the whole city.

He bolted up. Then he realised he had fallen asleep on the chair.

"You're finally up." Noted Raynare from the side. She was drinking a hot beverage, behaving remarkably calm considering the announcement of the impending disaster. "I tried shaking you awake, but you refused to wake up," she said, though it felt like she was omitting something.

"There's tidal wave coming," he pointed out.

Raynare calmly took a sip from the mug in her hand.

"No there isn't."

He looked at her. She jutted a thumb at the window. "Go see for yourself. It's worse."

Quickly, he went over the window.

He'd seen videos of World War Two, where squadrons of planes, scores of them, would fly over a city in perfect formation. They looked like flocks of birds - black dots in the sky that rained down death from above.

The scene in front of him looked just like that, except the black dots painted the blue sky black. Dark specks littered the sky, but instead of wings made of metal, they had black wings constructed of feathers. From where they hovered, streaks of light rained down onto the land. He saw a building crumble, a dust cloud taking its place.

"What..." he couldn't finish his question. A Fallen legion was attacking the city, wreaking havoc. He could see fires in the distance and black smoke billowed from the sources. A constant array of sirens and alarms blared, and all of a sudden, a blast of red energy shot out from the ground, straight into the sky. A small group of Fallen simply vanished out of existence when it touched them.

He recognised it. Rias Gremory had once shot it at him, after all. The attack did not go unnoticed, and the other Fallen in the region began to crowd around its source.

They were mounting a resistance, he realised. The Devils were fighting back.

"If it makes you feel any better," Raynare chimed in, "the civilians were evacuated into the shelters nearly an hour before Kokabiel attacked."

His jaw dropped. "This is Kokabiel's doing?"

"Of course. I told you he was a crazy bastard, didn't I?"

"Kokabiel is waging _war_ on this city, and _you're drinking tea_?"

She looked at him strangely. "After all I've been through in the past two weeks, you think an army appearing out of nowhere is enough to surprise me?" The cup made a clinking sound as she set it on the table. "You _literally created life in front of me_."

He blinked. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Raynare noticed, and picked up the cup again. After taking a long swig, she put the empty cup back.

"You're being awfully worked up about this. I thought you were the calm type."

"There is. A. _War._ Right outside my window." He stressed out.

Raynare cocked her head. "That's right. So, what are we going to do?"

* * *

Rias Gremory held her breath for as long as she could. And when she could hold it in no longer, she let it all out through her mouth before taking a deep breath through her mouth again. She took special care not to inhale any air via her nose.

The sewers stank. The reeking scent of human waste and rotting material was distracting her from what was important. Kuoh was under attack.

 _Her city_ was under attack.

Apprehension gripped her, but the gravity of the situation had long since sunk into her - the moment she saw the Fallen legion flying in the horizon. She was seventeen years old, a mere infant when you realised that the average Devil was a few centuries old. She had never fought in a real war, only skirmishes with Strays and mock Rating Games.

But they were nothing compared to this. When she was younger, she used to ask her father about the Great War. Zeoticus had filled her mind with stories of how the raven wings of the Fallen could turn day into night. But they had remained as stories in her mind, but now that she had seen it with her own eyes, she realised something.

She could not win. It had been so distant when her father told her the stories. So unimaginable that it was only when she looked out the window and saw the fleet of Fallen in the sky did she realise how terrifying the sight was.

She could not help but think Arisato Minato was at the centre of all this. The Fallen in the church yesterday had mentioned Kokabiel, a Fallen leader. Then this morning, while they were in the infirmary to check on Issei, the barrier went up.

 _A wave of energy pulsed through her body. Immediately, she stiffened, as did all the Devils in the room. Issei, who had been sleeping, snapped his eyes wide open. "What was that?" He gasped out, still rubbing his eyes from being awakened._

 _They gathered around the window. It was difficult to see, and they only noticed it because they were looking for it. A slight shimmering in the air. A slightly purple wave that rippled across Kuoh, tinting the sky slightly darker._

 _"A barrier?" Sona asked in recognition. "Why?"_

 _Rias already had her phone in hand to find an answer, but the call would not connect._

 _"Call your sister, Sona. We have no choice."_

 _There was a slight moment of hesitation, and the bespectacled girl nodded. She dialled Serafall Leviathan's number, albeit with a hint of reluctance._

 _A frown marred her features._

 _"It's not working too. It must be the barrier. It's cutting off communication. There's no point in trying teleportation either." Sona said._

 _The Gremory and and the Sitri Peerages looked at each other, nobody saying a word for a few seconds. They were tired, still recovering from the events of the previous night. They had not slept, except Issei, spending the whole night recounting the details of their encounter with Minato, the excommunicated Church members, and the Fallen._

 _"It must be the Fallen," Akeno voiced her suspicions. "Now that they revealed their presence last night, they must have chosen to quicken whatever it was they were planning."_

 _The group nodded their heads in silent agreement. Then Saji asked, "but what are they even after? Why seal off an entire town?"_

 _There was a pregnant pause as Saji's question sunk in. He was right. Kuoh had no strategic value._

 _Sona bit her lips as she considered her pawn's question. She looked out the window, watching the denizens of Kuoh continue with their daily lives, completely unaware of the supernatural phenomena coating their town._

 _Then she caught sight of her own reflection, and her eyes widened in realisation. She turned to look at Rias who, judging by the hand over her mouth, had come to a similar conclusion._

 _"Us."_

That had been hours ago. A phone call later, and Sona had triggered a tsunami warning, which would prevent the human population from coming into harm. And then they had waited.

Issei had tried calling Minato Arisato. The boy did not pick up, and she feared the worst for him. She did not know the extent of his abilities, but an army of Fallen had to be a challenge even for him.

Then the Exorcists had arrived. They had sensed the barrier as well, and had guessed exactly what was going on. But left with only Durandal, only one of them had any chance of fighting the Fallen. A chance of an even fight was completely off the table. When she asked them why they were willing to risk their lives and help, Irina's reply had been strikingly simple. "Because Issei helped me when I needed it. And he's my friend, and friends don't abandon one another." She had accepted that.

Sona's strategy was simple: buy time.

Their siblings were overly doting on them, but that irritating trait would come to use today. The Satans must have had status updates, some method of monitoring their siblings in case an event like this happened. They just had to hold out long enough for them to arrive.

She was not naïve to think that this was her chance to make a name for herself. That she was Rias Gremory, and not just the heiress of the Gremory Clan or the sister of the Satan Lucifer. She would throw away her pride if it meant that her Peerage and the town would be safe.

Which was exactly why she hiding and running in the city sewers right now.

Sona, their de-facto tactician, had come up with three generalisations about the fight they needed to keep in mind if they refused to surrender.

Firstly, they could not win. That was something everybody accepted immediately without argument. And so, to survive, they would have to resort to more guerilla-like warfare, using their superior knowledge of the city to scuttle around the city, hurting the Fallen where they were weakest while they were being hunted.

Secondly, the only viable means of attack was Rias' Power of Destruction. The Fallen were staying stubbornly in the air, preventing them from making use of their hard-hitting fighters like Kiba and Xenovia. Most of the Devils were close-to-mid range combatants, and had been rendered completely impotent by this limitation.

Thirdly, their tactic would eventually fail.

Already, they had were being cornered. They were destroying sewer entrances, and caving in the underground tunnel system, effectively blocking possible escape routes and ambush points. The security cameras Sona was using as her eyes were also being taken out one by one. Their field of operation had already diminished from the whole city to a region about only a fifth of that.

Behind her, Sona cursed as she stared into the monitor of her phone. "They're going into the sewers as well. At this rate... I estimate thirty minutes before we're caught. We'll be surrounded, and we'll definitely have no place to run."

They had lasted over four hours. It was not surprising the Fallen had narrowed their location. But she still didn't understand why they were after her. She remembered the surprise visit Azazel had paid with her brother. He had come out of the meeting visibly shaken. They had seemed to be on good terms, and she wondered what happened for him to launch this sudden attack.

Didn't he realise this could lead to a triggering of the next Great War?

Sona interrupted her thoughts with a suggestion. "We should head back to street level. If we hide somewhere outside the sewers, we might be able to buy a little time while they search high and low for us down here."

It seemed sensible, and since nobody had actually ever beat Sona in anything strategy-related before, they agreed. And so they shuffled out of a drain, taking great care to close the metal door quietly behind them. Then they turned around and looked up.

Well, there was a first time for everything.

"Hello little children," smiled Kokabiel, ten wings unfurling from his back. He was floating in the air, surrounded by at least a few hundred Fallen, all grinning menacingly at them. "I've been looking _everywhere_ for you."

They were about to react, maybe Issei would spit out some rash words while the rest would start charging up their spells. But they did not have time to do any of that, because a giant explosion rocked the entire city.

The ground shook, and some of them tumbled onto the ground. The shockwave came a second later, so strong that the wind was knocked out of their lungs. She could see the Fallen in the air, trying to maintain their non-existent footing. Many failed, and were swept a considerable distance away by the blast. The sound was deafening, like a fighter jet had revved its engine at full blast next to them.

Then came a second one, but this time it was not an explosion. It was a roar, so sharp and guttural that the clouds in the sky parted in fear.

As they struggled to stand, she could see the uncertainty rippling throughout the Fallen. They exchanged nervous glances, and broke into hushed whispers. Only Kokabiel did not lose his composure, and a glint of excitement shined in his red eyes. "It seems that the sleeping dragon has finally awoken."

They did not have a chance to clarify what he meant, for the next moment, a Fallen came bursting through, kneeling in front of Kokabiel in the air.

"My Lord," the voice was shaky with fear, and she could see the man's limbs trembling. "There is a mon-monster! It just wiped out an entire formation with a single breath!"

For a moment, all eyes focused on the terrified Fallen. Kokabiel scoffed. "A monster? A monster is what you call a foe too powerful for you to comprehend. Describe it."

The man stiffened. "I... can't. All I know was that there was a boy and girl. He had blue hair while she had black hair. And when he saw us, the explosion occurred, and all I could see was a giant mass before the blast sent me flying away."

Relief flooded through her body as she heard the Fallen's description. So Minato was safe. She had no doubt the aforementioned monster was part of his doing. But would it be enough?

Kokabiel looked around, where a grim acceptance had replaced the initial edginess in his men. "Well?" He questioned. The Fallen stiffened, preparing for their orders. "Go _slay_ the Monster!" He barked.

In a flash, commands were given, and the Fallen quickly reformed their ranks before flying away to wherever Minato was.

All that remained was Kokabiel. He smiled when he saw them looking up to him.

"Oh. I suppose you'll just have to entertain only me then. Who knows, you might actually win!"

The corners of her lips twitched upwards, and for the first time since the Fallen's arrival, Rias Gremory felt _excitement_. Around her, Devils and Exorcists alike readied their weapons, and a mix of acceptance and hope showed on their faces.

If it was just one Fallen, they just actually might.

And so the battle of Kuoh had begun.

* * *

 **A/N: have you guys ever seen an all-out-war in Fanfiction before? I don't mind skirmishes where the good guy fights the bad guy and his minions. I mean a giant war that consist of many tinier clashes. Well, I haven't, but I'm still gonna try to write one. In Demon Amongst Devils, Kokabiel's forces numbered in the hundreds. In A Demon Lord's Hero, they numbered in the thousands. I'm just gonna add one more zero to that. :)**

 **As always, review or PM me if you wanna share your thoughts. Fav and Follow if you haven't, and as always, thanks for the support guys 3**

 **~Paulzies**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Well, like i promised. A doozy. Sixteen thousand words. Two weeks. And we're only halfway done with the Battle of Kuoh. This is tiring. Next chapt might not come out next week too, haven't decided how long it's going to be.**

 **Anyway, enjoy! There's a personal A/N at the end of this chapt you can read if you want to.**

 **Thanks to mah mate Shaded for being an awesome Beta-reader and a wonderful conversation partner to bounce ideas with!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

She told him it was going to be difficult to surprise her from now on. She meant it - an army of Fallen hadn't been able to achieve that task and, frankly speaking, she didn't know what would.

But life was full of surprises, as the boy holding her hand was determined to show her. They were running, and Minato was dragging her by the hand as they dodged in and out of alleyways and streets.

She wasn't even complaining at being manhandled like that. She was glad they were running, as long as they were going far away from that... _thing_ the boy had called.

She turned her head to look behind her instead of the boy's back. A building blocked most of her view, but she could still catch a glimpse of the monstrosity over its roof.

That was how big it was. She saw hundreds, if not at least a thousand, of Fallen circling it like a flock of crows. They formed a vortex, surrounding the entity in a hurricane of raven wings. Like a comet show, streaks of light flew down from their hands and into the flesh of the beast.

Towering over the average building, she still couldn't identify what it was. Storm clouds surrounded its body, hiding it, and the lightning that was generated by them incinerated more than a few Fallen when they lashed out of the walking tempest. With each step, the ground shuddered. Windows shattered, buildings crumbled, and jagged cracks raced through the streets as the tarmac struggled to sustain the creature's weight.

It screamed. That too, was a weapon - a bomb made of sound. The Fallen unfortunate enough to be nearest to it had their bodies popped like balloons due to the sudden change in pressure. What was left of them fell to the ground in droplets and chunks - a rain and hail made of blood. But that did not mean the rest got away unscathed. The shockwave sent them flying in all directions, and their once tight tornado-like formation scattered, flinging them through the air like ragdolls.

But they were in a jungle made of concrete and steel, and many of their paths were cut short by the haphazardly-placed buildings. With bloodcurdling cracks and thumps, they slammed into buildings with enough force to leave a crater. For many of them, the impact knocked them out, and their heads drooped forwards. The lucky few who remained lucid quickly peeled themselves off the buildings before taking to the skies once again. She watched an unconscious Fallen slide down the side of the building he had crashed into, plummeting downwards where the ground waited for him.

He was not alone. For a minute or so, it rained bodies. Wings that had once fought against gravity were rendered useless by their hosts' unconscious states. Some of them regained their senses as they fell and, like a divebomber, managed to pull themselves up mid-course, saving themselves from a grisly death. But many could not, and their screams and landings were the only sounds she heard.

With a single roar, over a hundred Fallen had died. But they numbered in the thousands, and their eyes flared in fury as they scowled at the murderer of their comrades.

"To the sky! Keep your distance and it won't happen to us again!" Commanded a senior Fallen. Her six wings spread out to its full length, before she shot even higher into the clouds. The Fallen did not hesitate, and they followed her lead. Soon, thousands of black wings filled the sky.

The beast was as tall as a skyscraper, but the Fallen rose to a height far greater, where even their large individual black wings, unfurled to their maximum length, were but a blip in the sky. But their numbers were so numerous and dense that they formed their own cloud, a conglomeration of black-winged beings blocking out the Sun and the sky.

Then the darkness changed to light as if the Sun had returned. It was just as bright, perhaps even brighter, for the mass of light in the sky radiated a holiness the Sun could never hope to match.

Spears made of light, tens of thousands of them. Every Fallen hand gripped one. For the Fallen that could create more than two, they hovered behind their creators, missiles ready to be launched at their targets.

"Fire!"

The spears fired off at insane speeds, and streaks of yellow light were the only thing that could be seen. With every shaft that launched, another was quickly formed to be hot on its heels, causing a cascade of light to crash onto the monster.

The meteor shower did its job. The creature howled, and for a moment, the impact of their attack knocked away some of the clouds that hid the monster.

She stopped, her feet rooted to the ground. She could feel the blood rushing away from her face. The air suddenly became very still, as the Fallen caught sight of the behemoth, and their cheers hushed as they tried to process what they were seeing.

It wasn't a monster. It was _several_ of them fused into one body. There was no consistency in its physique. Its skin was made of every material imaginable. There was a region where it was scaly, like a dragon. Then there were patches of fur. Feathers jutted out at the most random of places, while some areas seemed to be covered in vegetation. But it was the eyes that unsettled her the most. Eyes dotted along the entirety of its body, each the size of a family car. They raced along its skin, like insects crawling over a carcass. Occasionally, an eye would stop, then roll around its mobile socket and blink.

Then she noticed some of the skin bulging out. It was the scaly part, and a lump was growing at a rapid rate. Two eyes raced towards it, and they spun to a stop at the top of the lump, where they began to blink independently. Then she realised, _It was a head_.

A crack began to form on the protruding piece of flesh and it split open. Rows upon rows of jagged teeth greeted the Fallen as a forked tongue whipped out. It exhaled a wispy white vapour into the breach and once the hole in the cloud layer was patched up, the creature sunk back into obscurity.

But that short glimpse was enough. A shapeshifting beast, but more importantly, one that was completely unharmed despite the Fallen's assault.

She felt someone tugging her hand. It was Minato, and he was looking at her with concern in her eyes. "We must hurry," he said, "if we want to save them."

She ignored his request. "Minato..." she stammered out. The boy looked surprised, and she realised this was the first time she called him by his first name. "What..." a shaking finger pointed at the giant, "is that?"

He sighed, as if knowing she would not budge unless he gave her an answer. "Typhon," he conceded, "the father of all monsters."

Time stopped. She knew of Typhon. She knew of its might, how it had taken all of the Olympian Council to stop its rampage. She knew of its immortality, and it was only by sealing it under Mount Etna that it was tamed. She knew of its berserking nature, how its very presence led to natural disasters, and how it left only rubble in its wake.

The boy pulled on her hand again, and this time her body followed his without resistance. As they ran through the alleyways, the boy's wrists clamped around hers while they searched for the rogue Fallen Leader, she wondered who the true monster was.

* * *

Every army needed eyes and ears. They needed someone to report movements and positions, someone to find weaknesses and strengths.

It was people like him that let the Fallen hunt down the scurrying Devils when they had used the city's catacomb-like sewages to their advantage. He used the potholes, the drains, every single hint to deduce the structure of the underground maze. That was how they had flushed them out.

At that very moment, Dorian was very happy that he was that someone. He was perched on the top of a radio tower, surveying Kuoh City in its entirety. Well, that's what he was supposed to be doing, but his eyes had never left Typhon ever since it was brought into existence by the boy.

He recognised it, of course. He had seen it once before. It had been a long time ago, when he first started out as a Recorder. He hadn't Fallen yet, and he was still Dohnaseek's apprentice then, and they had been tasked to record the clash between the Olympians and Typhon.

It felt weaker compared to the last time he had seen it, but that was to be expected when it had been sealed for a few centuries.

It had been epic, and had any mortals been present, the sheer amount of magical energy being tossed around would have probably vapourised them on the spot. Bolts of lightning fell from the heavens like rain, while tidal waves as tall as the sky itself surged across the lands. The gods had ridden around on their chariots, using their divine weapons and powers to strike Typhon down. The Sun itself had been an enemy, with Apollo commanding it to blast beams of pure energy at the monster. His twin, Artemis, Goddess of the Moon had not been limited by the lack of a night sky, and celestial arrows flew out of her bow faster than his eyes could count.

And that had not been enough. Typhon had stumbled, but not slowed. Demeter had summoned a forest of giant trees, each as tall as a small mountain in an attempt to halt his rampaging path. Only then, with his limbs trapped in vines as thick as normal tree trunks, his legs drowning in moshes and swampland, did it come to a halt.

With their target immobilised, the Olympians rained down attacks for seven days and seven nights without rest, as an army of Cyclops and Hundred-Handed-Ones moved an entire mountain across the land - Mount Etna, and it would become Typhon's prison for an eternity to come.

Twelve gods. Seven days of non-stop fighting. That was what it took to stop Typhon. Dorian smiled. Today the Fallen would show they could do it in less than one.

He'd bet his life on it.

There was a reason why they were called the Grigori. They were Watchers. That was what they excelled at. After the War, the Angels had barricaded themselves above the clouds, slammed the Pearl Gates shut and hid within the walls of Heaven, content to nudge humanity here and there when they could afford to. The Devils had fallen into civil war, slaughtering themselves and causing their society to crumble. The Fallen had done what they did best. They sat back and watched. It was what they had always done, so why would they do anything different?

Watch something long enough, and eventually you gain the ability to _learn_. The Fallen had learned a lot. They learnt more from the mistakes of others than their own. They did not have the numbers of the Devils, nor did they have backing of the world's system the way Angels did. But what they did have, they abused viciously.

They had eyes, and they used them to observe, to mimic, to improve. He had seen the Olympian's strategy with dealing with Typhon. He had seen what had worked, and what had not. He had seen what they could copy, and what they could not. And he had seen how they could bring down Typhon.

He was the eyes and the ears of the army. But in times like this, he also became its mouth.

That was how Kokabiel trained them. And he would not let their leader down. Not when they would all perish by the end of this week.

Having already memorised the layout of the streets and buildings of Kuoh, his gaze turned calculative as he sifted through the city to find opportunities. A moment later, a smirk spread across his lips.

He began to bark commands into his communicator, telling the six-winged Fallens that led the army his plan even though he only had two wings of his own. They did not object. Everyone knew their places, and they knew there was no one more knowledgeable than Dorian when it came to dealing with Typhon.

The Fallen formation split apart. Instead of relying on orbital bombardment like they did earlier, they splintered off into many small and tiny groups. Each had their own roles, and completing them all was essential to bringing down the behemoth.

He paused as he realised something. He gave a new set of commands to a few groups.

"Find the boy. If we kill him, Typhon will no doubt disappear with him."

One way or another, Typhon would fall by the end of today. They might not have a mountain nearby, but Kuoh had many, _many_ buildings.

* * *

It was a very popular misconception that Angels could only make swords and spears with their light. That was the way the Fallen liked it, for it allowed them to keep multiple aces up their sleeves, and they were prepared to play a full hand against Typhon.

Arianna was a fighter. It was something she accepted, and to a certain extent, appreciated. Fighting wasn't easy, but it was simple: kill the enemy before the enemy killed you. She wasn't like Dorian, who could analyse and plan. Following orders was easier than giving them, and when Dorian's instructions blared out, she followed them to the letter.

She bent one arm in front of her chest, her knuckles pointed directly towards Typhon. The hundreds of Fallen that she led copied her action. She channeled energy into her hand, but this time instead of compacting it into a spear, she spread it out, diffusing the energy across a larger volume.

A plane of light began to grow from the back of her palm, stretching in width until it covered her body. A shield. Every Fallen around her did the same, and a wall of light was erected right in front of Typhon.

Typhon roared. She braced herself, pouring every bit of magical and physical energy into her shield. The shockwave came moments later. It threatened to blow her away but she held on, leaning all her weight against the constuct of light. She could see the looks of exertion on the other Fallen's faces, but none gave way. She allowed herself to grin slightly - already they were improving, adapting to Typhon's strength.

The clouded beast stopped for a moment, as if assessing the situation. Then, from the fog a blur burst forwards, so fast that even her battle-hardened eyes could not identify it. There was the sound of shattering glass, and she slowly rotated her head, dread filling up in her heart.

A dragon's head. There was no other way to describe it. A long and scaly neck stretched out from the layer of clouds. It was connected to a reptilian skull, whose slit eyes glared at the Fallen as it turned its head.

As she stared at its bony crest, its jaws opened. Its teeth were coated in Fallen blood, its oral cavity littered with torn bodies, some whose faces were still locked in expressions of surpise. Typhon had ripped through their shields like nothing, and the Fallen in its mouth had paid the price for their weakness. She grit her teeth. They had dropped their guard ever so slightly from their first little victory. They would not repeat that mistake again.

A ball of fire began to grow in the dragon's mouth. She felt no fear. This was what they planned. A command was given, and the flocks of Fallen that had been hiding behind the barricade of light hurled spear after spear into the draconic head.

The ball of flames extinguished itself as the beast screamed. But it was one of pain instead of defiance, and thus did not carry the same weight as the roars from earlier. To the Fallen, they welcomed it like a spring breeze. Pools of purple blood cascaded from the fresh wounds and gashes that covered the beast.

It could bleed. That meant it could die.

"Again!" The Fallen commanded. This too, had been planned. Dorian had said the layer of clouds were more than just a visual obstruction - they served as a physical layer of defense, and the Olympian strategy was to bait out the many heads of Typhon and cut it off whenever a new one emerged. They repeated the process up until there were no more heads left to regenerate the clouded layer, and then they had pounded the body relentlessly to prevent it from regrowing its heads.

That had been the purpose of the layer of light shields. It had never been meant to protect its users from attacks. It had been created to draw out those attacks in the first place. Nothing screamed _'attack me'_ as well as an enemy fortification right in front of your face, and for Typhon, who was blessed with monstrous strength but little intelligence, it had fallen for the trap quite instinctively.

But it was hardly stupid. It also knew it had been hurt, and the moment the Fallen gave the order to attack a second time, it withdrew the head and once again the entirety of the beast was coated in clouds.

That gave the Fallen time to gain a breather. A few Fallen rushed to join their ranks to replace those that had been snapped up in Typhon's jaws in that previous attack, their own light shields blazing to life, and a great wall was formed once again.

It came not a moment too soon, because like a peacock showing off its feathers, suddenly over a dozen heads shot out of the mist, swaying and hovering in the air menacingly.

The dragon head from earlier was there, its wounds seemingly healed, but her attention was drawn elsewhere. Every head was different, there were recognisable ones - wolves, crocodiles, eagles, turtles. But others were more exotic - mutilated parodies of living beasts that had no place in this world. Their features were grotesque and misshapened, their expressions contorted and twisted. They were the true monsters.

"Join shields!" A voice commanded.

For any other group of Angels, it may as well asked them to fuse their arms. An Angel's light was unique, and merging their light required a level of understanding and trust that was simply unreasonable to expect.

Unless you were trained by Kokabiel.

Their general copied human practices when it came to training. He broke you down, and rebuilt you from scratch. You became another cog in the machine known as the Fallen army. Your individualities, tastes and preferences were overridden by the collective need and cohesion. The Fallen here were closer than siblings, tighter than family, and knew each other as well as the back of their palms.

Still, it took great concentration. Shields began to overlap, and she could feel other presences invading her mind as she did the same to theirs. They let each other in, and in that moment, over two hundred Fallen shared a single collective conscious.

The light shields formed a literal wall, a uniform plane of luminescence as large as a lake. This too, was a human strategy Kokabiel had copied from the Romans. While the first layer of soldiers focused solely on defense, those behind would bombard the enemy with ranged weapons.

They attacked together.

As dozens of whip-like heads lashed out towards them, a stream of uncountable javelins made of light crashed down on Typhon. It halted the beast's advance somewhat, but its whip-like appendages still crashed into their wall with significant force behind each blow.

She felt her bones rattle, and her mind and body was straining to maintain the shield. Every time they collided, she could feel flashes of pain as some Fallen were overcome by the power, and holes and cracks began to break out on the light shield. But they were quickly replaced, and a steady stream of reserves took the places of those who could hold out no more.

Typhon wisened up. He recoiled its many heads, and magical attacks spewed out of its mouth like a machine gun.

Fireballs, corrosive mists, bolts of lightning. All kinds ranged attacks collided with their defense.

She felt her focus faltering as she was being tested to the limits, and spiderwebs of cracks appeared in front of the yellow surface in front of her. A hand tapped her shoulder. She turned.

A baby-faced Fallen smiled at her, and she felt relief overcome her. He wasn't part of her unit and she didn't know his name, but nevertheless she trusted him with her life. She felt no shame in giving her position to him. They were an army who shared each other's burdens. That was how Kokabiel trained them.

As she flew up to join the attacking squadron, she felt reinvigorated with purpose. A light spear ignited in her palm. She would give Typhon hell.

Her mind drifted off to Kokabiel. She loved him, even if he would never love her the way she did. She had Fallen for him, both in heart and in soul. She wouldn't let him down, not when this would be their last week together.

* * *

"Aren't you guys _curious_ _at all_ to find out who our little blue-haired friend has called _this time_?" Kokabiel asked in exasperation while dodging a bolt of lightning launched by Akeno. "Don't you want to see what ridiculous creature he's conjured up now?"

His reply came in the form of a jet of water that came blasting straight towards his face. He tilted his head and it sailed right by. It hit the tree behind him, chopping it clean into two. He whistled in appreciation as he turned to see the upper half of the tree crash into the ground.

He looked at the aggressor. She adjusted her glasses. "We won't waste this opportunity. You're alone now, and we can always ask Arisato-san after we win."

He chuckled. "Confident, aren't we?" Sona smirked, and Kokabiel frowned. "But really, I haven't even harmed you guys and yet you're chucking all these lethal spells at me. That's hardly fair, isn't it?"

"You're the one that attacked the city! Don't pretend we're the bad guys! You're the evil one here!" Issei burst out, voicing the thoughts of everyone else present.

He faked an expression of hurt. "Well, it's not like I _wanted_ to raze the city. If you had just peacefully surrendered like I wanted you guys to, then this wouldn't have happened."

"You would have killed us," pointed out Rias.

He shrugged. "I'm still trying to kill you now, aren't I?"

They looked at each other. Frankly speaking, it didn't feel like it. It felt more like he was fooling around, shooting off more words than magic. If anything, their pride hurt.

And if there was one race that cared more about pride than anything else, it was Devils.

"Take us seriously, damn it!" Growled Issei. "Or we'll _really_ go serious on you!" There was an influx of power as the Boosted Gear appeared on his hand. " _Boost!"_

They grinned. Dual swords appeared in Kiba's hands, while Xenovia readied Durandal. Even without her Excalibur, Rias had managed to find a sword somewhere for Irina, who unsheathed it and pointed it towards Kokabiel. The Student Council tensed, their bat wings unfurling as they ascended into the sky. They were not as individually skilled or talented as the Gremory Peerage, but they made up for it with superb teamwork and communication.

Rias spread out her own wings, a crimson orb that radiated bloodlust bursting to life in her palms as she floated up. Behind her, Akeno smiled as streaks of lightning arced around her body in a mesmerising dance. Koneko slipped on a pair of gloves and raised her fists in front of her.

Kokabiel did not appear to be fazed by their apparent display of intimidation. If anything, he found it to be adorable and cooed, "Awwww, you're busting out the big guns. But my dear children..." He took a deep breath, "I'm afraid you're still a _little_ out of your league here."

Nary had that last word been uttered before he flexed his power. The air around him thickened, and it was only then that it dawned in their minds that the Fallen in front of them had ten wings. That was equivalent to a High-bordering-Ultimate Class Devil. The difference in their power was stark to all - the lone Fallen emitted more energy than the dozen or so of them did combined.

Rias bit her lip as she pumped a bit more energy into sphere hovering above her palm. The odds might not be in their favour, but they could win this. Battles were not won on the merit of strength alone. There were many variables that needed to be considered - terrain, strategy, numbers, even luck. There were still many ways they could swing things around.

They had to.

* * *

Mauriel knew the plan was going to be complicated when Dorian's voice crackled over the communicator.

 _"Have any of you watched Star Wars before?"_

The Fallen around him mirrored his mystified expression. He had seen stars at night and partook in many wars before, but never heard of a latter that involved the former.

 _"You know, Empire Strikes Back? The scene with the Snowspeeders and the AT-AT?"_

Their looks of confusion only intensified. Dorian sighed, and his next sentence contained a trace of disappointment.

 _"Uncultured swines. Never mind, here's what I need you guys need to do..."_

Their eyes widened as Dorian explained their roles. When he was done, they looked at Typhon, the Father of All Monsters too busy trying to swat the Fallen flying in front of him with its many heads. The attacks bounced off their giant light shield uselessly, but even so their comrades could not keep it up forever. As if he'd just jinxed it, a frosty breatb erupted from one of its jaws, and several dozen Fallen froze in mid-air before crashing into the ground where they shattered like glass.

He stretched his six wings as he turned to his men. Unblinking and emotionless faces stared back. He knew underneath those expressionless masks there was a torrent of emotions overwhelming them. Kokabiel had forewarned that this would likely be their last act. Even if they did succeed in their goal, no doubt the wrath of Heaven or the Satans would ensure that they did not survive for long.

Some no doubt felt fear. Death was unknown territory, and even they were wary of what lay beyond. Others trembled in excitement - for they lived to fight, and a battle as glorious as this was the perfect way for them to go.

He simply felt a resigned sense of acceptance. He had done a lot of bad things. But he had also done alot of not-so-bad things. He just wanted it to end already. He followed Kokabiel because he made a promise, and as questionable as his character was, he never went back on his word.

"Well then," he sighed as he addressed his awaiting soldiers. "As much as I want to, we can't let the others do all the work."

A cheer rang out even though his words had been somewhat lacking in luster and passion. The men were used to his lethargic attitude from centuries of fighting together. But even so, they still followed him. Mauriel allowed himself to smile as they made their way towards their objective. Dying with this bunch wouldn't be that bad.

* * *

Dorian watched as all the pieces moved into their places. Beneath his stony exterior, he was cackling with glee.

Back then, he had felt so helpless and insignificant watching the fall of Typhon. This was his chance to turn things around. He felt like a playwright in the audience of his own performance. He was giddy with anticipation as the moment of truth approached.

Would his plan work?

The first stage was baiting Typhon. That was what the barrier team was in charge of. They were slowly shifting their position, and like a moth to a lamp, Typhon remained fixed in chasing the bright shield as a hail of spears rained down on him. Every step created a tremor, and the buildings in its path were inconsequential as they were knocked down as easily as sandcastles. The many heads of Typhon whipped around, slamming into the flock of Fallen. Occassionally, those supporting the luminescent barrier could not react fast enough, and the many ravenous mouths would sink their jaws into the unprotected host of Fallen.

By the time they had led the monster right where he wanted, they were on their last legs. They had done well, and their sighs of relief were audible when he told them to pull back, and the giant barrier of light vanished.

Now came the stage two. He waited with bated breath after he gave the command. He hoped Mauriel and his men could pull it off. If not... well they were all going to die anyway.

But he'd rather not get squashed by Typhon into a red smear on the ground. He winced, poor Jariel.

Seeing his targets fleeing, Typhon roared and the ground shook even harder as it lumbered towards them at a speed that could be considered sprinting for something so bulky and large.

"NOW!"

He recognised Mauriel's voice. It was rare to hear him shout, but he supposed the circumstances were dire enough for the normally passive Fallen to raise his voice.

Dorian held his breath. The moment of truth.

At first it appeared as though someone had activated a giant laser in front of Typhon's feet. A thick bar, made of divine light, ignited in the path of Typhon's legs midstep.

It was too clumsy to avoid it, and the monster crashed into it with all the force that it was running with.

His heart raced, and he prayed that Mauriel and his men would be able to sustain the pillar. For a moment, he almost thought they wouldn't. If it were metal, he could imagine the material screaming as it was stretched beyond its physical limits.

But it was made of light, and even though light was supposed to travel in straight lines, the bar was clearly buckling under Typhon's massive weight and momentum. From its initial straight line, it had bent into a 'V' shaped rod, and it was only through the sheer amount of focus and energy Mauriel and his men were pouring into maintaining it that it did not shatter.

In their private conversations, Mauriel had once remarked he did not know why his men followed him. He was not charismatic, nor was he exceptionally talented in any way. Dorian could see why they did now. He was at the forefront of the tug-of-war, his face mere inches from the clouds that veiled the behemoth's body.

Should the beam of light break, he would be the first to be pulled into the layer of clouds, where he would most likely never resurface. Great leaders led by the front, and no one was closer to Typhon than Mauriel. Dorian sighed. It was a shame the world would lose good men like Mauriel and Kokabiel so soon.

Wings burst forth from the back of the Fallen supporting the bar from its ends. There were hundreds of them and they used the propulsion their feathered appendages offered them to pull the light-made rope as taut as they could.

The inevitable happened. Even if it was magical in origin and nature, Typhon could not escape from all of the laws of physics. The inertia was tremendous, and that had caused the centre of gravity of the beast to go past the pillar of light which acted as a pivot.

It began to tip.

It seemed to realise it was losing its balance, and the many heads and necks that had originally been attacking the Fallen reprioritised, and began to shoot out at anything that could stop its fall.

They launched towards buildings, hoping they could act as anchors to hold it in place but there was a reason why Dorian had chosen an area with lots of open spaces and low buildings.

The heads hit air and flailed uselessly as they desperately tried finding something to latch onto. Head began to dig into the ground in order to support Typhon's gargantuan body - something like a monster push-up - but its weight proved to be too great, and it continued to topple towards the ground.

Dorian heaved out the breath he had been holding, an ecstatic grin on his face. Mauriel and his men had managed to pull it off. A low throaty noise begin to emanate from Typhon has he neared the ground, and Dorian liked to think of it a a scream.

And then Typhon hit the ground. Even though he was perched high above the ground, Dorian could still feel the radio tower - no the whole city - vibrating from the force of the impact. The sound was booming, though it paled in comparison to its initial roar, as did the seismic wave that followed. There was a pang of irritation that a giant cloud of dust and debris had been formed, which prevented him from seeing the collapsed beast at all.

Still, Mauriel's men had fleed the very moment it was confirmed Typhon would fall, and he could see them joining the streams of Fallen that were regrouping above Typhon. They had made a right choice, for they definitely did not want to be near Typhon when the next stage was implemented.

He waited impatiently for the dust to settle. He could feel anticipation and restlessness building up amongst the ranks. Over twenty thousand Fallen, a gathering so large it had not been seen since the end of the Great War. And every single one of them was waiting for that command he would soon be issuing.

The amount of power he wielded currently, he realised, was actually quite scary. So many people at his beck and call, so many dying because of his plan.

His musings were cut short when the dust settled. Like he suspected, the fall had taken a large toll on Typhon. Parts of its unnatural and abberant body were exposed, no longer having garments made of clouds to hide them. The eyes that carpeted its body were in a frenzy, racing towards quickly-forming lumps of flesh, as numerous and similar to warts on a toad in appearance.

That too, was part of the plan. Typhon's weaknesses lay in its heads and eyes, and there was no better time to attack both when it was trying to repair its defensive layer of clouds. They only had a small window of opportunity before the lumps turned into fully-formed heads which would breathe out the fumes necessary to create the misty protection.

"Rain Hell!" He shouted, 'or should it be Heaven?' He thought to himself in amusement afterwards.

A thunderous cry came from the Fallen host, and the sky fell. It made their earlier displays look like a drizzle.

A torrential downpour, made of light and not water, cascaded towards the Earth from the hands of the Fallen. Spears of light were catapulted off at such speeds and numbers it looked as if someone had drawn yellow lines between the Fallen and Typhon. An endless barrage of holy projectiles, and every single one of them hit their marks.

This was the firepower that had brought even Ultimate-class Devils to their knees. Individually, the Fallen would have stood no chance. But as their numbers grew, their strength grew exponentially as well. That had always been the core strategy of Angels, Fallen or not. They would bombard their enemy from afar tirelessly, never giving their opponent time to even breathe, while they sat comfortably in their thrones made of air. Humans called this strategy shelling or artillery. They called it divine judgement.

Typhon screamed in agony. The Fallen took pleasure in it, and they hurled their javelins with even more speed and power. Without its clouds to protect it, Typhon bled. Its skin was tough and thick, perhaps enough to even stop some of light spears from piercing into his body. But it did not matter, for the Fallen overcame that number with pure numbers.

With enough time, a Gatling gun could shred the armour of a tank. While the initial bullets might deflect off, or even flatten themselves against its thick metal plates, they would still eventually break through. Every shot would peel off another layer of defense, even if only a single atomic layer was destroyed by the round. Sooner or later the once-invincible tank hull would give way.

The Fallen used the same concept here. Against the merciless onslaught of the Fallen, Typhon's tough hide did little to protect it. Even at its thickest regions, it would bruise, and from its bruise it would start to bleed. Then it was over. With marksman precision, the Fallen aimed at these bleeding wounds. They cut it deeper, and tore it even wider. And thus from a little pinprick did the wounds grow to a gouging wound the size of a bus.

Blood spilled out of the beast like water when a wet sponge was squeezed. It poured out of every orfice possible, and they landed on the ground in great purple waterfalls.

Every flail, every scream, every struggling action wasted energy Typhon could not afford give. Its movements began to become sluggish, and what heads remained swayed aimlessly in the air before they were ruthlessly cut down by the Fallen.

A euphoric warmth spread through Dorian's veins. How he had dreamt to see this again. It had been so long since the world had witnessed the strength of the Three Factions. So long since they had been allowed to show that their power had not dwindled even though their numbers had. Laughs began force their way out of his mouth. And he was the one that orchestrated all this. There was a small pang of regret in his gut that he could not be part of the grand spectacle, and that he could only observe from the side. Still he supposd the view made it worth it - there was a flutter in his heart he had not felt in a long time.

A voice came over the comms set.

 _"Dorian, we've found the boy."_

He grinned. Time to get back at the boy for shooting him out of the tree with a bow and arrow.

* * *

He needed to find his friends. They were in trouble. There were so many Shadows, and they just wouldn't stop coming.

He pulled on her hand, taking sudden turns and increasing his pace in order to lose them. But they wouldn't go away. They kept following, dark shades chasing after him in the air. He cursed. Then he noticed the silhouettes running along the roofs, porcelain faces with etched smiles staring at him.

Suddenly, the grip he had on the girl was torn away, and he found himself holding onto nothing.

He skidded to a stop then turned around. The girl was on the floor, using her hands to try to get up. She stumbled when she tried resting her weight on her legs. That's when he saw how swollen her ankle was, and how it was bent at an unnatural angle. She must have fallen.

He was going to rush forward to help her, but a sharp pain stopped him. It wasn't his pain, and he didn't actually feel anything, but he was aware of its presence somewhere.

Then the ground rumbled, and a earsplitting moan reached his ears.

 _Typhon_.He hadn't summoned the Persona at full power, but he was still slightly amazed that they managed to bring it down so quickly.

They must have seen the look of realisation on his face. The Shadows sneered, and their taunting voices bounced off the walls of the alley.

"That's right, your pet has fallen."

He looked at the one that seemed to be the leader. It was sitting on a window ledge, a mocking grin on his face.

His temper broke. He loathed them. They took away his friends, and now they were stopping him from rescuing them too. He hated them. He wanted to destroy them, to grind them to dust, and rid the world of their existence.

He called Typhon back into the Sea of Souls to stop its agony.

"Persona."

It came out as a seething whisper.

The Shadow leaned forward "what did you sa- urkh?!"

It looked down at his own body. Or what was left of it. The life faded from a pair of surprised eyes while blood seeped out of an agape mouth. A severed torso slipped off of a pair of standing legs, which quickly sunk to a ground like a praying man. A pool of blood separated the bifurcated corpse of the Shadow, and the the culprit was finally revealed.

Muscled and toned arms held a bleeding sword, attached to a pair of crimson pauldrons. They made a rustling noise when the owner shifted his shoulders in order to sheathe the weapon. Shining metal cloaked his body, unscratched and undented. It glinted from the sunlight when he adjusted his body to stand up straight. His uncovered head carried a handsome face, and his tousled long hair curled into locks that draped onto his neck and shoulders.

The Shadows tensed. The Persona smiled.

 **"I am Roland of Charlemagne, and I have come to crush all those who stand in my master's way."**

The shadows could not respond, in fact, they weren't even looking at the newcomer anymore. How could they, when they were too absorbed by what was happening to their own bodies?

A head rolled off a neck, a fountain of ichor creating a bloody trail as its body crashed to the ground.

A Shadow screamed, its hand desperately clawing at its chest, trying to remove the metal tip jutting out of it.

A body tumbled off a building and slammed into the concrete ground, where a lone arrow stuck out from its back.

One by one, the Shadows fell, their deaths all as unannounced as the first. Some burned. Some exploded into gory showers of blood and entrails. Some were crunched or swallowed up by unspeakable creatures. One simply vanished without a trace.

Personas took their places, taking on a diverse range of appearances. But they were all dressed for war. Gone were Uriel's white robes, and instead he was adorned in set of glaring golden armour, seemingly crafted from the rays of the Sun itself. Artemis unslung her bow, her silver armour emitting whispy hues as she stared at him. Even the non-humanoids were covered in mail, and he saw the usually benign Kirin covered from head to toe in segmented metal plates, the tongues of flames that coated the dragon-horse hybrid leaking out from the chinks of its armour.

But he was not done. Dozens more of Personas appeared, regal figures all battle-ready, awaiting his command.

There were still many Shadows that needed to be eradicated.

Then he realised, there was still one more in front of him. How had he missed it? It was writhing on the ground, as though it was injured. He smiled and summoned the first weapon a Persona would lend him.

A golden metal shaft appeared in his hand, taller than he was. Intricate carvings on its smooth polish gave the weapon its grip, and they detailed its long and illustrious history. At the top, a flower made of blades.

A lone metal tongue protruded from its center in a wave-like pattern, its barb wickedly sharp.

 _Ascalon_

, the dragon-slaying spear.

It was more than enough. He raised it in the air, its tip pointed straight at the whimpering Fallen.

"MINATO!"

It screamed. Raynare screamed. He blinked once, then twice. Where did the Shadow go?

Raynare was on the ground, legs sprawled in front of her, shivering as she looked at him with abject horror on her face. Was she... scared of him? Didn't he kill all the Shadows, so why was she still so...

Ascalon crumbled into dust.

He looked around. Bile rose up to his throat, and he covered his mouth to keep it in. It did not work - his spit and vomit leaked through the gaps of his fingers, before he gave up and bent over to let everything out.

Fallen Angels _everywhere_. On the floor. On the walls. Hanging from railings, limbs and organs all over the place.

 _He did this_.

There were no Shadows, no emotionless heartless manifestation of darkness. They had been living, breathing, sentient souls that had feelings, hopes and dreams. And he had killed them all without even giving them a chance to surrender.

And the worst was how he didn't even feel any regret. This wasn't like him. He didn't spend the lives of others as though they were his to spend, and he certainly wouldn't have killed them just like that.

His fingers shook slightly. What was going on with him?

"Minato..."

This time Raynare didn't scream, but her voice still trembled. He knelt down to be eye-level with her, but couldn't think of anything to say. His Personas hovered above, their faces pensive as they waited for his orders.

"What..." He could hear the concern hiding behind Raynare's terrified voice, "what did you see?"

He looked down. A bloody pool next to him was threatening to reach his shoes. "My past." He finally said.

A voice from a receiver interrupted the moment.

 _"All units, Typhon has fallen. Target has been reprioritised to person-of-interest Arisato Minato. Kill him at all costs."_ The voice then continued to list a bunch of numbers he could only assume referred to his present location.

"We should move." He said, slightly relieved that he had a reason to abandon their previous topic of discussion.

She left it at that, but gave him a look that implied she wouldn't forget about it. He helped her up, and they hobbled forwards together.

As she leaned her weight against him, he realised she smelled of vanilla. She spoke.

"I thought you wanted to stop Kokabiel and the Fallen quickly? I can only assume they've managed to get their hands on the Devils by now."

He grit his teeth. Time was definitely not on his side. But the last time he focused solely on his goal, He had lost sight of himself. "I cannot let what just happened happen again. Besides, I cannot just leave you here alone." He said, trying to convince himself more than the Fallen next to him, then he added, "I can always send a Persona first."

They stiffened at his mentioning. Then one of them nodded and sped off into the distance, his white wings leaving a faint golden trail.

"And the Fallen that are hunting you? They won't stop until one side is dead. That is the kind of fervour and loyalty that Kokabiel has inspired amongst his troops."

He winced. He did not want to kill so nonchalantly again. But the circumstances left no choice. Instead of replying Raynare, he raised his head to speak to the waiting Personas. "Go. Stall them. Keep the killing to a minimum. And if they offer to surrender, take them up on it."

They bowed stiffly, before becoming blurs that zoomed towards their objectives.

"Wow," remarked Raynare. "Personas sure are useful. Where can I get one?" The tone was awkward, but he could tell Raynare was joking to try to lighten up his mood.

That comment almost made him smile. Almost. The only reason why it didn't was because he wasn't sure of the answer.

* * *

"Slow."

"That didn't even hurt."

"Your movements are too big."

"You gave away your intentions too quickly."

"You left your flank open."

Soma cursed in frustration. None of their attacks were damaging Kokabiel. Worst of all, he had started to hit back.

Their initial plan had been simple. They would take advantage of the Student Council's well-coordinated attacks to keep Kokabiel busy. Meanwhile, the hard-hitters in the Gremory Peerage would find opportunities to deliver lethal blows to his back. There had just been one problem.

Sona glanced back where Asia was tending to a wounded Irina and Kiba. Tsubaki had been injured as well, but had recovered enough to join the fight.

She turned back to the battle. Her Peerage was doing well to draw Kokabiel's attention. Saji charged forwards. Kokabiel met his attack head-on, but at the last moment her pawn swerved away, and instead Kokabiel found himself being attacked from both sides from Momo and Reya.

Like she expected, Kokabiel flew upwards. Her heart raced. He was right where she wanted him. Right in the crosshairs of Tsubaki, Rias and Akeno. If this failed, she wouldn't know what they could do.

Lightning flared towards Kokabiel, taking the form a dragon's maw. It surged towards an unaware Kokabiel's back. From the sky, a crimson column fell towards the Fallen, the magical embodiment of wrath and gluttony.

Like she expected, Kokabiel somehow knew of the attacks. But knowing about them didn't mean he could get out of the way in time. But that was precisely the problem. Akeno's lightning was fast, but Kokabiel's wings were faster. They shot out, as if they had minds of their own, and they moved to block his unprotected back from the incoming attack.

The bolt of lightning bounced off the layer of feathers harmlessly, and vanished into the blue sky. If light was an Angel's sword, then their wings were its shield, and Kokabiel's ten wings were nigh-impenetrable to all their attacks.

Except one. Rias' Power of Destruction was their ace-in-the-hole, the only thing Kokabiel seemed to bother himself to defend against. But it was much slower, and he narrowly dodged it.

He turned to Rias, who looked annoyed. "You know, I've had your brother shoot that stuff at me before. It's very nasty stuff, but not as all-devouring as you think."

Rias tried not to let the surprise show on her face. "What do you mean by that?" Sona knew she was joking. Of course Rias knew about her own power. She was only surprised that Kokabiel knew of it too.

"Well you see," Kokabiel began to lecture, "your Power of Destruction actually has a limit to how much it can consume. It's not a bottomless pit, it's got a stomach, and it gets full too. Of course, its appetite increases with your power level."

Rias seemed completely unaffected. Sona knew exactly why. But they needed a few more seconds.

"And my current power level?" Rias asked innocently, "would you be able to block it?"

Kokabiel shrugged. "Probably. Not that I want to try, though."

A bold claim, Sona believed. The only people she had seen shrug off Rias' Power of Destruction like it was nothing were their siblings.

Rias smiled sweetly. "And if it were twice my power level?"

Kokabiel narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but it was already too late.

"MIRROR ALICE!" Tsubaki shouted from behind Kokabiel.

A gilded mirror materialised in the path of Rias' attack. She had already known their first attack would fail - their attacks simply didn't have the speed and the power to catch Kokabiel off guard.

That's where Tsubaki's Sacred Gear came in.

The crimson pillar of annihilation slammed into the magical mirror, and the mirror buckled. For a moment, she feared that Rias' power was too much for Mirror Alice, and that it would be consumed. But she saw Rias' and her Queen's look of intense concentration, and knew her friends were already trying their best to prevent that from happening.

There was a snapping sound, and within the next heartbeat Rias' attack reversed in direction. If their original attacks weren't sufficient, the only possible way to power up their attacks in their current context was to utilise Tsubaki's Mirror Alice.

Another heartbeat later, the attack was already in front of Kokabiel's face. It was the perfect strategy. Tsubaki's Sacred Gear would amplify Rias' attack by a factor of two, including its speed and, in Kokabiel's own words, its "appetite", making it impossible to block or avoid.

Sona tried to hold back the triumphant grin on her face when she saw Kokabiel widen his eyes in alarm. Elation overwhelmed her as an invisible barrier sparked to life, desperately trying to withstand the crimson assault. It would be futile, there was _nothing_ the Power of Destruction could not consume.

Then Kokabiel smiled, and a pit formed in her gut. Why was he still so happy? The attack was devastating - she could feel the pressure from where she was standing, and the sheer potency behind it seemed to warp space itself as though it was a liquid giving way to a greater force.

Then the pressure doubled, then tripled, and kept increasing until she couldn't even breathe. But it did not come from the Power of Destruction. Pure, unadulterated magical energy poured out from every single pore on the Fallen's body, feeding Rias' trump card with as much as it could devour.

And then some. The crimson beam grew smaller, and the once mighty pillar-sized attack diminished to become as small as a twig before vanishing completely.

Despair quickly degraded into panic when she realised what was happening next. Without the drain that had been sucking it away, the energy exuded by Kokabiel only had one place else to go.

Everywhere.

Light sprayed everywhere from Kokabiel, like a supernova. For a few short moments, it bathed the entire crater they were in and Sona could feel the holy light burning her skin, as if somebody was pressing a hot iron against her.

Sona hissed. For her to be hurt by the mere aura of an Angel - a Fallen one at that... Kokabiel was truly frightening. To block Rias' Power of Destruction, even after it had been doubled in strength... she had not fought an Angel before, but she was certain even Ultimate-class Devils had trouble accomplishing that feat.

The light dimmed down. She saw the other Devils first. They were clutching the exposed parts of their bodies, their skin raw and they winced as they poked and they prodded themselves. The Exorcists looked none the worse for wear. In fact, Irina seemed to have more colour in her face, and Xenovia looked down at her hands in awe, Durandal seemingly brimming with energy.

Then she saw Kokabiel. The Angel was still in the air, seemingly unhurt from all that. But his shoulders sagged, and his chest was visibly sinking and rising from heavy breathing. So their attack had tired him. That was all they could do.

They wouldn't be able to repeat it for a while, not until Tsubaki's cooldown expired. She started chewing on her nails, a nervous habit she thought she had long outgrown.

"That... was very clever. I'll admit that even I was caught off guard." Was that approval in Kokabiel's voice? But in the next instant his face soured, "but using God's gift to enhance a Devil attack," he shook his head. "Sacrilegious. But that is the Devil way I suppose, taking whatever you want and using it however you want to."

Sona could see Rias paling, and she was certain her redheaded friend was still in disbelief that her attack had been thwarted.

"Oh well. Round two?" Smiled Kokabiel.

* * *

Arianna's hands fell limply to her sides. While her men cheered around her, she did not. Centuries of battle-honed instincts were screaming at her.

Something was not right. Monsters did not just disappear like that. They did not sink into the ground after falling, into an unknown vortex that led to the void. It was not that easy.

If anything, it felt as if things were only just beginning.

Her fears came true a moment when a strange sound was heard and the host of Fallen descended into silence. It sounded like the chiming and jingling noise that bells made in the wind.

It came from above, and they craned their necks up to try and find it. It was on all fours, crouching on a cloud. Plates of metal covered its body, and for a moment they thought it was a war horse. Then the plates disappeared, and what greeted them was a layer of glistening turquoise scales. With a mane and tail made of fire, the creature cocked its head. Two golden antlers sat at the top of its head, while its snout remained open, producing the metallic noise that had drawn their attention. Arianna did not know its name, but knew enough to know that the creature did not belong here.

The oriental dragon's head attached to a horse's body spoke of its origin. At best, it was a member of the Youkai, whose realm of influence did not cover Kuoh. Or it could be under the Tao-Buddhist faction, but they had nearly no sway in Japan at all. All that she knew was that the entity did not belong in Kuoh, which begged the question on how did it get past the barrier without them realising?

The sounds it was making was fast-paced and shrill. There was an underlying tone of urgency that transcended words and language, making the Fallen apprehensive. Nervousness began to rise up her throat.

"Is it... trying to warn us?" A Fallen asked. Nobody answered, for everyone was asking themselves the same question.

Arianna pursed her lips. It was unexpected situations like this where the six-winged Angels were expected to take charge.

"Shoot it." She commanded. They were trying to start a war amongst all the supernatural Factions anyway, so what was the worst thing that could happen if they shot at an unknown enemy?

There was no hint of hesitation, and a torrent of light spears was in the air at the next second. The creature stopped blaring its alarm, and cocked its head. In the next second, it was gone, leaving only a jet stream in its wake.

Arianna held up her hand to call the assault off. A gnawing sensation in her gut motivated her to keep her men on their guard.

Then they started to die.

* * *

Mauriel stepped over a pool of Typhon's blood. He wrinkled his nose at the putrid stench entering his nose. Even after the behemoth had been vanquished, the parts they had managed to cut off before it disappeared still remained. They littered the area, necks and heads still bleeding from their stumps, a few bones here and there, and they had found out very painfully that Typhon's blood was _extremely_ corrosive.

He did not believe that Typhon could have disappeared as simply as that. He had been right next to it, and felt firsthand the power it exuded. Something that massive couldn't just _vanish_ with a snap of the fingers. Hence why they were walking through the jungle of body parts, trying to discover if there was any hint to where it had been teleported to.

His foot hit something hard. He looked down, and picked up the white object taking care not to prick himself with it. One of Typhon's teeth. It was big, larger than his palm could hold. Idly, he thought about holding on to it, then realised it was pointless since he probably wouldn't be leaving the city alive.

He dropped it and then crushed it with the heel of his boot.

"For a moment there I thought you were going to pocket that." A voiced announced, "that would have been most dishonourable."

His men halted at the invisible newcomer. He surveyed the surroundings intensely, trying to spot anything amiss.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" He directed his shout towards empty air, and waited patiently for a response.

It came a moment later.

On top of one of Typhon's neck, a body was born from the wind. Bulging muscles held an imposing blade, and a crimson chest plate bore a familiar-looking crest on it.

"That's the symbol for the Holy Roman Empire, isn't it?" Asked one of his men.

He nodded dumbly. He recognised the armour. "Only one group of people wears that coat-of-arms." He turned back to his men, who readied themselves for a fight. "Prepare yourselves. The man is a Paladin."

 _Even though there hasn't been a living one in centuries._

He did not voice out that last thought. It would not help in the upcoming clash.

The man smiled, showing off a set of perfect white teeth. "You still remember us, even centuries after our fall? I am honoured."

The unknown man hefted the blade so that it was right in front of his face and pointed towards the sky. A universal symbol for a swordsman's salute.

 **"Prepare yourselves. I, Roland, Paladin of Charlemagne, will face you in battle."**

Mauriel blinked. "You're dead," he said.

"And now, so are you."

The response came from behind him. The image of Roland lifting his sword, Durandal, in front of him vanished, and when he turned his head to see behind him, Roland was already sliding his sword back into its scabbard.

Mauriel blinked. Then the pain hit.

* * *

Dorian cursed in every language he knew, which was surprisingly many. The tables started to turn when Typhon evaporated into thin air which, for the life of him, he still could not explain. Then the Qilin had appeared and blared out a warning in its strange language.

Obviously, as a Recorder, he knew of the Chinese mythological creature. He knew of their pacifist ways: how they never walked on grass to avoid killing individual blades, or how they only appeared under benevolent and just rulers, or how their presence would hint to a prosperous and peaceful future.

But the scene he was looking at was anything but peaceful. There were muffled cries from the communicator, Fallen Angels calling for any available support as unidentifiable attackers zoomed in and of their ranks.

It was pandemonium. The Fallen had split up to engage in various tasks, including hunting that blue-haired boy he was certain was at the centre of all this. And every single group had been attacked by unknown assailants. The descriptions varied.

Nobody had really known what had attacked Arianna's unit. They had suddenly just started to fall from the sky one by one. He could still see them now, huddled in a tight defensive formation as a body plummeted to the ground.

And according to some, Mauriel and his men were fighting the first wielder of Durandal, Roland himself, amidst the remains of Typhon. He could see bright flashes as metal met light in the distance, but could not make out the legendary swordsman himself - only a blur.

But they were merely the tip of an iceberg. All kinds of mythical figures and creatures were being quoted by Fallen everywhere. Their movements were erratic, unpredictable, and sometimes downright counterintuitive.

From his vantage point, he had a rough gist of what was going on. Hit'and'run tactics, guerilla warfare. But that made even less sense to him. If his comrades' accounts were to be believed, and he would never doubt their words in situations like this, then there was no need for their enemies to resort to such underhanded tactics.

He remained in his spot, watching thousands upon thousands of Fallen trying to regain their bearings, struggling to maintain formation. He just didn't understand what his opponents were aiming for. If they wanted to win, they would have just attempted an all out effort to crush them. But there was a chaotic organisation in their attacks and manoeuvres. They had a plan, and he couldn't for the life of him figure it out. He grit his teeth, every moment he couldn't was a waste of their lives and their time-

Time. They were wasting time. That was their end-plan. They wanted to distract the Fallen from what was the most important.

When was the last time they heard from Lord Kokabiel? He was certain his leader would be fine against the teenage Devils. Prodigies or not, they wouldn't be able to match a Seraph-level Fallen at their current levels. But if the blue-haired boy was making his way there like he suspected, things would turn out very differently.

He made a motion to grab his receiver to instruct his brethren to return to Kokabiel's side, only to realise that it was no longer there.

Or rather, _he_ was no longer there.

The Sun grew smaller as he looked up, and when he turned back down, he saw his reflection in the windows of building he was falling next to.

A dull pain spread across his chest, as the winds whipped past his face and the ground grew ever closer. The last thought in his mind before he blacked out was wondering why the silver arrow embedded in his chest looked so damned familiar.

* * *

A group of Fallen blocked his path. They scowled threateningly at him.

Moments later, an armoured figure landed in front of them, his shield up and blade poised to attack.

"Go, my Lord! I, Sir Lancelot, will keep these wretched creatures at bay so you may continue to pursue your noble task!"

The Fallen distanced themselves away from the Persona, giving him time to make a turn. They hissed as he did so, and one even tried to go after him.

Lancelot beheaded him easily, and his comrades watched his headless, lifeless body land with a meaty slap and his head rolling away, eyes glazed and tongue out.

"Go."

He complied, and took a detour. The sounds of battle continued on from behind him.

His pace was much slower now, leisurely, even. That was to be expected when he was dragging around an injured girl.

She had let go of his hand earlier, saying it was undignified and unnecessary. So she limped behind him. He tried convincing her to let him use a Persona to heal her ankle.

"It would probably incinerate me by accident," she had retorted, "seeing how much of a battle frenzy they are currently in."

He had frowned in return. His Personas were not as careless or incapable as she thought they were. She was probably still wary after his little bipolar bout earlier and the scenes of his Personas ravaging her brethren wasn't helping much either. So she remained adamant in refusing his help, and he had dropped the matter.

It was only a small matter in what plagued him.

He felt it all.

 _Metal tearing into flesh._

 _The smell of burnt meat._

 _Screams of pain and agony._

 _The cracking of bones._

 _Droplets of blood splashing onto his skin._

Every single sensation his Personas felt when they killed a Fallen was transferred to him even though he hadn't asked for it. But they knew that he wanted it anyway. He wouldn't let his power get to his head. He wasn't naïve to believe he could go through his whole life without killing, but it was certainly something he wanted to keep to a minimum.

His Personas understood that, respected it even. That was why they did it. He wouldn't allow himself to become the type of person that ended people's lives on a whim. Every death stabbed him like a knife, and he would dig it in even further, to make sure he would never forget this horrible feeling. Countless lives, unfulfilled dreams, untapped potential, extinguished because he reciprocated their act of war.

Unacceptable. He wanted to end it now. He understood Kokabiel's intentions. That did not mean he agreed with it.

He would find him, and then he would knock some sense into him. For all his love for humanity, the Fallen had made one crucial error.

Kokabiel had underestimated humans.

He had proclaimed they could not coexist with the supernatural. Such thinking only built more barriers, and they limited the direction in which humanity could grow.

That was a waste of potential. Maybe they could not exist in balanced harmony. But even so, that did not mean humanity would lose out. When he saw Issei, he did not think of a Devil. He saw a perverted, determined, and loyal friend.

Breaking barriers and shattering expectations was something humanity was predisposed to do. Even if those barriers were between races. He still knew little of the world, but what he had seen was enough to give him hope.

Rias and Sona were good people.

Irina and Xenovia were compassionate and faithful individuals.

Even Raynare was becoming better.

The supernatural would not drag humans down.

If anything, humanity would pull them up.

* * *

Kokabiel sighed. And that last attack by the Gremory girl has gotten his hopes up, too.

He was disappointed. This wouldn't do at all.

Halfheartedly, he dodged another lightning bolt while using his wings to block a wave of magical spells. For Devils so young, especially the Reincarnated ones, their attacks were impressive.

But not enough. It was nowhere near enough. So many of them here were once human. He wondered if their lives would have been better off if they were still human. Some had not led pleasant lives as humans - many reincarnated Devils did not. Most of them would have remained blissfully unaware of the supernatural world.

What would have happened to the Sacred Gear users? Would their gifts go undiscovered and untapped their whole lives? Maybe, he thought, that was for the better. Humans had not relied on mystical gifts and knowledge to create the most advanced and diverse society known to history. And without any supernatural threats, there really was no need for Sacred Gears. Humans were resourceful; they would be able to solve their own problems without God's help.

He nodded his head subconsciously. That settled it; he cemented his resolve in carrying out his plan. He would rid the world of the Supernatural, even the human ones. Sacred Gear users, Holy Sword wielders, Magicians, all of them had to go.

Even Arisato Minato.

The task seemed daunting, but he had spent centuries planning this. It would work out. Only a third of his men were here in Kuoh, which would spark off a rift between the Three Factions. The rest were scattered around the world, stirring trouble covertly amongst the other Factions. By the end of the week, the world would be embroiled in war.

He had performed countless calculations, factored in every possible variable, pre-anticipated every kind of reaction.

All until Arisato Minato showed up. The boy was a Wild Card, an unknown who was not slammed but sneaked onto the table, and threw everything out of whack. His abilities were an unknown, his motives even more mysterious, and in the event that the child disrupted his meticulously-planned operations, he could only pray that the boy could succeed in where he could not.

"Boost!"

A hand latched onto his ankle while he was deep in his thoughts. The Longinus boy had suddenly doubled in speed, and that burst had caught him off-guard, leaving him no time to react.

"I've got you!" Hyoudou Issei cried out, determination burning in his eyes. "C'mon Xenovia, I believe in you!"

He looked at the boy grabbing onto him. The other hand grabbed a street lamp, keeping him locked in position. He clicked his tongue and kicked the boy in the face hard.

The boy grunted in pain, but the grip around his ankle only tightened. "I won't let go!" He gritted out.

He frowned at the boy's stupidity. "What do you even hope to achieve my trapping me in this spot? You've already seen that even the Gremory's greatest attack does nothing."

"Maybe Buchou isn't strong enough," the boy admitted, "but that doesn't mean that we can't hurt you. There's always a way!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Issei smirked.

"Like me."

It was a girl who spoke. The one with short blue hair and green highlights. The wielder of Durandal. She had not been a genuine threat earlier, what with her close-quarter specialty hampered by the huge distance between them.

That had changed.

Durandal was crackling with arcane energy. Red sparks jumped and leaped along its unchipped edge. Kokabiel noted with interest that even though Durandal was a Holy Sword, the nearby Devils didn't seem to be adversely affected in the slightest by the energy exuded by it. If anything, it spurred them on, bringing hope into their eyes.

"They say Roland single-handedly wiped out an army of a hundred thousand with Durandal." Xenovia mused. Then she smiled, admiration in her tone, "I think I can see how now."

Kokabiel stared at the sword, and a memory long forgotten hit him with the force of a freight train. He stopped resisting out Hyoudou Issei's grasp, and his muscles relaxed as the past overwhelmed him.

 _"You are an Angel."_

 _Kokabiel looks at the man. His beard is unkempt, and his hair is ragged. Yet there is something imposing about the man. Perhaps it is the dried flecks of blood that cling to his skin. Or the bulky body that is hidden away underneath the worn-out cloak. Or most decidedly, it is the sword that hangs from his side. The blade itself hidden away by its scabbard, but even its handle and its semicircular guard reeks more power than lesser Angels._

 _"Perhaps I am," he finally responds to the man after giving him a once-over._

 _The man bows. "I am Roland, a Paladin of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. I have come to meet the one known as Kokabiel. They say you are one of the few Seraphs that descends onto the Earth regularly."_

 _His eyebrows rises slightly. He recognises the name and, in doing so, the sword as well. Durandal. He remembers with great fondness when God crafted it and gifted it to the first of the Roman Emperors._

 _The man is dangerous._

 _"I am Kokabiel, but I am no Seraph. I am merely a ten-winged Angel. Perhaps in a few centuries or so I may gain that title."_

 _The man's face slumps slightly. "I see. I will not lie, I am slightly disappointed. I had hoped you were going to be a worthy fight."_

 _Kokabiel laughs. "You wish to fight me, why? We are not enemies. You are willing to attack a messenger of the God that blesses your Empire to fulfill your thrill-seeking ways?"_

 _Roland shakes his head. "No. I wish to fight you to see where I stand. I know there exists a world beyond what my eyes can see. I know there are beings out there who are so monstrous in strength that it's incomprehensible to me. And I know some of them wish harm unto humanity. I want to know whether we can beat them."_

 _His smile drops. All pretense of friendliness is gone. He sees the man differently now. His shoulders look burdened with heavy responsibilities and knowledge. "Why do you wish to face them? It is our jobs as Angels to protect your kind from such foes."_

 _The man gives him a very grave look. "But you will not be here forever, nor should you. One day Man will have to fight our own battles. Please, indulge me, no holding back."_

 _Kokabiel hesitates. To be brutally honest, he is worried that Roland would get hurt. But he knows from the fire burning in the man's eyes that he would not take no for an answer._

 _"Very well. Everything is permitted except killing." He finally relents._

 _Roland replies by raising his sword. Red mystic energy starts rolling off in waves and tendrils._

 _They clash._

At that moment, he no longer saw Xenovia Quarta. Another image was superimposed onto her lean body. A knight, wrapped in bloodied and dented armour, blade held up high, eyes shining with defiance at the Devil horde charging towards him.

He stood on a small hill of Devil corpses, beckoning for them to come at him, and when they did, he shouted a single word.

"Du-"

A red aura coated the blade, as though it was alit with divine and arcane fire.

"-ran-"

He swung the blade.

"-dal!"

An arc of energy leapt off from the edge of the blade. It was a tsunami of destructive power, a red crescent-shaped tide of annihilation. Air molecules were split into their basic elemental atoms as the chemical bonds that held them together shattered under the force. Even space itself, for the most miniscule of moments, was cut apart by the duress Durandal forced upon it. It left behind a dark trail, one that was quickly covered up by everything else. For a time equal to a fraction of an instant, Durandal had opened the door into the Void.

Kokabiel felt the hand holding him down release, but he did not react. There was not enough time to escape anyway. Instead he smiled welcomingly at the attack.

 _"Do you yield?" The voice is raspy from exertion, and comes out as a soft whisper._

 _Kokabiel coughs out blood. "I don't have any other choice, do I?"_

 _The blade that is pressed against his neck pulls away, and Roland lifts his knee from Kokabiel's chest. Gratefully, the Angel takes in a few lungfuls of fresh air. When he recovers he sits up, inspecting the various wounds that decorate his body. A gash here, a fracture there, internal bleeding in the lungs. It is nothing a good night's of rest will not heal._

 _He is more worried about Roland, and even though the Paladin technically won, he is in far worse shape. His breathing is shallow and uneven, and the man is struggling to stand straight, the once proud and mighty Durandal reduced to a walking cane._

 _He looks around. The landscape is ruined. There is a gaping hole in a nearby mountain. Whole swathes of forested land have had their forests demolished. Large craters dot the land, smoke still billowing from some of them._

 _The fight was much more difficult that he ever expected, and that overconfidence had caused him his victory. Roland is a remarkable fighter, and there is doubt brewing in him that the man in front of him is truly human._

 _"I would have won," he protests weakly, "but I had to hold back because I couldn't risk killing you. My wings would turn black, and I don't want that."_

 _The Paladin gives him a knowing smile. "I'm sure that's why." Then he sits on a log, and takes a few moments to catch his breath. "That was a very difficult fight," he says when he is done, "and I shudder to think how powerful the Archangels and the Devil Pillars are compared to you."_

 _"They are real monsters," he says wistfully, "and I will be joining their ranks soon enough."_

 _"You sound confident," notes Roland._

 _"It is my fate. That is what Father says." He says without pausing. He has long accepted the responsibility and the expectations that will fall unto him in the future._

 _Roland nods in understanding. "If that is what God decrees, then it must be true."_

 _They sit in silence for a while, content to survey the destruction that they have caused._

 _"Have you fought them before? The real monsters you speak of?"_

 _He has. He has frequent spars with his older Seraphim brothers. But they are only spars and nothing more, which he points out to the curious swordsman._

 _"Do you think I can beat them?" Roland asks hopefully._

 _He wants to say no at first. But he had made that same assumption against himself and Roland had defied that fate. So even though he does not voice his thoughts, he does not lie either._

 _"I am sure with enough practice, anything is possible." He says encouragingly._

 _Roland seems to accept that._

 _"When you become a Seraph, will you fight me again? I will double in my efforts to hone my skills until the day comes where we will meet again."_

 _As if the Paladin's skills are not scary enough as they are, Kokabiel thinks, but he cannot help but to accept. "Certainly." He grins, "I will show you that your win today was a mere fluke."_

 _Rolands smiles in kind as well. "And I will practice even harder to show you that it was not."_

 _They shake on it, but that fight never comes._

 _Roland dies four months later defending his Emperor from Devils and Demons that wished to usurp his body._

Kokabiel stood unfazed. His arms opened wide, welcoming it like an old friend.

The girl was not Roland, but it did not matter. This was enough for him. It was weaker than Roland's own version, but that was to be expected - the Swordsman was twice the girl's age when they fought. Yet the girl accomplished something even Roland could not when he was her age. There was a pain in his heart. It was such a shame - he was certain she would surpass Roland in swordsmanship if she were allowed to keep growing.

The war would kill her, wasting all that untapped potential. If she had been born maybe a hundred years earlier, and allowed to sharpen her skills and realise her potential, then perhaps this war would never have been needed. It was such a shame, he noted miserably, that this war would have to claim her life.

At the very least however, it allowed him to partially fulfill a promise to an old friend. And so, he let the light engulf him.

* * *

Xenovia dropped her arms with Durandal, her heart pounding with euphoria and adrenaline. She had managed to do it. After years of dreaming and training about it, she'd finally managed to get Durandal to respond to her.

It had finally acknowledged her.

She still couldn't believe it, and judging from Irina's agape mouth, neither did she.

"You just... did that thing... wow..." her friend was dumbfounded, and struggled to find words to express her shock.

Xenovia nodded her head weakly. "Yea... I did..."

"Wohoot! That was AWESOME Xenovia!" Issei yelled out while running to hug her. She actually let him, tolerating the sweat and the smell - she wouldn't have been able to hit Kokabiel without him holding the Fallen down.

Irina looked slightly jealous, she noted with amusement.

"You've got to tell Arisato-san! Then you'll be as cool as him!" The boy jabbered on. She smiled. To be honest, she had no idea how she did it either, but ever since Minato had returned to her, Durandal felt... different.

It was as though the sword seemed lighter, and responded more quickly to her desires, and it felt truly like an extension of her own body now. Maybe Minato had... spoken to it? She was not sure, but she held Durandal with a newfound confidence she never had before.

She had been so driven to defeat Kokabiel that instinctively she had channeled her raging will into her blade and it had reciprocated, crackling to life with arcane energy.

And then she was able to do that. It took her breath away, the sheer amount of devastation that had been compacted in that one attack. Even now, the area where Kokabiel had occupied was still a dust cloud, and when it cleared she was certain that it was going to be empty space, the Fallen having been atomised or blown into oblivion.

The rest of the Kuoh students jogged up to her. Ecstatic expressions and congratulatory cheers greeted her. Her heart was still thumping, and she was genuinely taken aback by the sincerity behind their gestures. She was an Exorcist that was now a true wielder of Durandal. That was supposed to be bad for them. So why were they still so happy?

"I'm so happy _for you_!"

She froze. It was the excommunicated nun, Asia Argento. She had played a pivotal support role, ensuring that none of their wounds had been lethal. She had saved Irina, and that was something she would always remained grateful for. Xenovia saw the blissful look on her face, "I knew you could do it! Though I was getting kind of worried for you too," her chirpy voice turned slightly bashful, "I didn't want you feeling like you weren't good enough for Durandal after what Arisato-san did. You are, by the way! Durandal is very lucky to have you as a wielder!"

Xenovia blinked, and Asia must have noticed her puzzlement, because she went on in her cheerful voice, "I mean you're helping us even though we didn't ask you to. You could have run away and kept your lives, but you chose to do what you thought was right and help us to protect the town! You even sided and fought with Devils like us!"

That was right. She had almost forgotten. They were Devils.

So why did she feel so fond of them?

She smiled back at Asia. "Thank you, for saying that. I really appreciate it."

Asia beamed.

She fainted.

* * *

Issei realised something was wrong the moment Xenovia closed her eyes. Her legs buckled, and she suddenly slumped forwards. In his boosted state, it appeared to him as though in slow motion, and he caught her unconscious body.

"She is exhausted" said Sona after everybody heaved a sigh of relief after he caught her, "an attack like that must have sapped her of alot of energy. Let her rest."

Issei gently put her down. Even in her current state, her hand refused to let go of Durandal. The Boosted Gear vanished from his arm, and he felt his own wave of fatigue hit him. His butt sank to the floor, and he sprawled himself on the ground.

"Man, I'm beat! We're done right? We can go home now that we've beaten Kokabiel," he whined. His eyelids threatened to close. His arms were shaking from overuse, and his bones felt like they were going snap at a moment's notice. "I just want to sleep, I'm so tired I don't even have the energy to masturbate before going to bed!" He complained loudly.

The others frowned, either at his inclusion of what was clearly personal or at his less-than-enthusiastic attitude of cleaning up after the battle.

A voice interrupted them before they could voice their objections.

 **"I am afraid you cannot pleasure yourself just yet. The battle is far from over."**

At first he thought Kokabiel had returned, but the dust cloud had long dissipated, and there was no sign of the Fallen.

He snapped to attention anyway.

The voice was deep, though there was a hint of cheekiness in it. Issei desperately tried to look up to find the speaker, and froze in fear at the sight before him.

Oblivious, Rias nodded her head sagely, "that's right, Issei. There are still many... Fallen... in the... city." Her words trailed to a stop as realisation dawned on her. Slowly, she tilted her head up, and her features were locked in the same gobsmacked expressions of everyone else.

Two.

Four.

Six.

Eight.

Ten.

Twelve.

There were twelve wings behind the being's back.

Twelve pure white brilliant wings, as if the feathers were plucked from the finest swans. They dazzled in the sky, but did not outshine their owner.

The only way they could describe him was _gold_.

Golden armour. Golden hair. Golden eyes. A golden halo hovering above his head. Automatically, Asia and Irina knelt.

"Archangel-sama," they intoned together. The reverance in their voices were as clear as day.

The Devils turned back. They did not know what to do. They were technically enemies, but they were in no state to fight him. That did not mean they would need to, for Angels were not the type to pick a fight for no rhyme or reason.

So they offered their respect. They did not go so far as to kneel, but they did lower their heads slightly to await further instructions.

"So docile, Devils these days." The pressure behind the voice had eased, and the Archangel descended to walk amongst their midst.

"I do not like all these formalities. While they make me feel important and so very grand, I think they put an invisible barrier between me and the people I am suppose to care for. Raise your heads and stand up, I mean you all no harm." Slowly, they followed his instruction. He looked satisfied.

"See? That wasn't so hard." The Archangel chuckled. "You look very tired, relax a bit. I will take over from here. Go rest, you have fought hard and valiantly. I saw everything from the above. Let me handle this."

They looked at each other in confusion. "Handle what?"

"Why, your little pest infestation, of course. To kill the colony, you must kill the Queen. This Queen in particular seems very fond of hiding." He smiled mischievously. He snapped his fingers. A giant explosion rocked one of the nearby buildings. "We will have to flush him out, yes?"

An irritated voice took over. "You ruined my surprise."

Issei's heart froze.

Kokabiel hovered out of the building, looking mildly irritated, but not at all intimidated by the twelve-winged Angel across him. He looked completely untouched, as though Xenovia's attack hadn't even scratched him. In fact, he looked as good as he did before the battle even begun, but there was something about him that just seemed... off.

There were gasps around him. "But Xenovia hit you with Durandal! You should be dead!"

There was a look on Kokabiel's face that could only be described as reluctant acceptance. "You're right. I should have died hundreds of years ago, but I did not." Then he stared at Xenovia's fallen form for a bit. "it is good she is not awake to see this," he said softly, "it would crush her to know that Durandal's attack did nothing. And I would rather kill her while she is still blissfully unaware and unconscious."

"And I'd rather you not kill her at all," Kokabiel's white counterpart chimed in cheerfully. "Good Exorcists like her are hard to find these days. She's a keeper."

Kokabiel narrowed his eyes. "I was in Heaven for several centuries. I know every single Seraph, Fallen or not. Yet I do not recognise you."

The Angel laughed. "I do not know who you are either. Let's trade. You first."

There was an audible change in pressure as Kokabiel's features hardened like a rock, and took on a dead-serious look.

 **"I am God's son, Man's mentor, and the Fallen's Leader."**

 **"I am the youngest Seraph, the last of the God's trusted advisors."**

 **"I am the Toppler of the Tower of Babel, unparalleled in the High Heaven Arts and Military Might."**

 **"I am Kokabiel, the Star of God."**

That grand speech made Issei recount Kokabiel's wings. He gulped. Twelve. Two more wings sprouted out from the back of the Fallen compared to earlier. The bastard had been holding back the whole time. They had tried so hard, and had only managed to make Kokabiel _begin to become serious_.

It made him feel so useless and weak. He scrunched his fists together and slammed the ground. Damn it all to Hell. What good was the Boosted Gear if he couldn't even protect his friends with it? If it weren't for the Archangel, they would all certainly be dead now.

"That does sound very impressive." The Archangel said sulkily. "I don't believe I have many fancy titles like that."

Kokabiel inclined his lips slightly. "Give it a shot. I believe you can come up with something."

The Archangel scratched his chin. "Give me a moment, let me cook something up." A few seconds later, he snapped his fingers excitedly.

"I got it!" He exclaimed. He straightened, and adopted a serious look of his own. In an exaggerated manner, he cleared his throat.

 **"I am the Fire that burns the Wicked.**

 **I am the Hearth that warms the Cold and Forgotten."**

 **"I am His rage, and His Love.**

 **I am Uriel."**

Fire erupted to life around Uriel, constructs made of flames dancing and circling around him.

 **"And I have come forth to bring Salvation to the Damned."**

* * *

 **A/N: So... I know I said I'd update weekly as often as I could. I also know that I said I'd _TRY_. So if I'm lazy, stuck, or I'm cramming a chapter that is more 8k words, I won't. Some of you checked in with me. That's fine, I actually appreciate it - it's nice to know that you guys message me to see if I'm still alive. Some of you go a little further. "Is it going to be updated tomorrow?", "Can you try to update it by this weekend?", "When will your Beta be done?" **

**STOP. It's _super annoying and stressful_.**

 **I'll upload the chapter when I want to. Shaded will finish Beta-ing the script when he wants to. We have real lives, and other things to do with our time. I get it, you like the story and want to read it as soon as possible. I get that, I read FF too, and there are so many abandoned awesome stories out there and that breaks my heart. But have you ever wondered why they quit? Maybe they're just busy, or lazy, or they simply didn't know how to continue.**

 **Or maybe they kept getting bombarded with annoying questions and unreasonable demands, and that caused them to realise that writing FF just isn't worth their time and effort. Do you know when rush us, the quality gets worse? Then you won't enjoy reading it, and I won't enjoy writing it.**

 **So for the sake of the story, please _be patient_. Writing is hard, especially for me since this is my first _real_ fic, and considering how I genuinely know nothing about DxD and Persona (all my background comes from existing FF and Wikis), it's _way harder_ for me to write this stuff.**

 **Sorry that I have to end the fic on such a sour note, but this is something I feel needs to be addressed.**

 **As always, leave a review or PM if you wanna chat (but don't ask about upload dates or speed, cuz i'll get annoyed. And please don't ask weird questions that I have no way of answering as well or simply don't make sense.)**

 **Fav and Follow,**

 **-Paulzies out**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Surprise, I'm back! I know after the previous chapter, many of y'all will be looking forward to an epic clash between Kokabiel and Persona. I was looking forward to writing it too, and I actually did. I wrote an eight-thousand long fight scene, but when I re-read it, I realised the whole thing was draggy and redundant. SO rewrote the chapter to focus more on Kokabiel's and Human's backstory. And when I re-read that I realised the same problem. So this is actually the third version of chapter 12! Which is about 20'000 words in one month (this one's only 8k words tho).**

 **Anyway, I think this chapter felt the most right out of all of them. There is some action, but the plot flows the best, which is obviously the most important factor.**

 **As always, thanks to Shaded for Beta-ing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12:**

It wasn't supposed to turn out this way. Archangels were God's will. That was what Xenovia had learnt very early on in her religious studies. They were an extension of Him, and no one could defy God's will.

But the scene before her spoke contrary to that.

A fist pounded into Uriel's once-perfect face. It cracked further, as if the Archangel's body was made of hardened clay instead of flesh. His wings were nailed to the ground by dozens of spikes made of light. They struggled to free themselves, but he remained pinned to the ground like a trapped bug. The light that once radiated from him with unparalleled intensity was now but a mere flicker, and with every blow it dimmed even further.

Unconsciously, Xenovia pressed her hand against her mouth. Even the Devils had initially shown some comfort in the Flame of God's arrival. They might not be allies but Heaven was fair and honourable, and they would not attack defenseless school children if they did not need to.

Kokabiel however, was merciless.

The fight had started on even ground at first. Grand displays of pyrotechnics had accompanied Uriel's arrival, jets of magma and lava spurting from the ground in grand volcanic eruptions as they chased down the flying Kokabiel. The Fallen had responded with equal magnitude, calling into existence more light spears than his entire army could combined and sending them hurling towards the still-smiling Uriel.

A miniature sun had formed around the Seraphim, a cocoon of fire and heat so dense and hot even divine light could not penetrate it. At least, that was what Uriel thought. The spears exploded on impact. They were more than spears – they were missiles, each packed with so much energy that even the mildest disturbances caused them detonate with enough power to demolish a building.

Uriel's protection faltered, the shockwaves from Kokabiel's onslaught destabilizing the orb as tremors of energy ran across its surface causing its shape to distort and stretch. And when it could hold out no longer, it exploded, revealing a Uriel that was no longer smiling.

From there the fight descended into a one-sided massacre.

Uriel was powerful. Xenovia would be the first to admit that. She could feel the temperature of the air rise by a few degrees just with his very presence, and every time he launched one of his massive flaming attacks, she could see the Devils appear uncomfortable just by the sheer amount of holy fire they were seeing.

But Kokabiel was unreal. Whole herds of light spears were conjured up like nothing at the snap of his fingers. Enough to match every star in the night sky and have a few galaxies' worth left over. They chased Uriel like a school of fishes, weaving in and out of buildings as the Seraphim tried to dodge them. And when they could not, the obstacle in front of them was simply reduced to rubble as the Fallen summoned more spears to replace those that were expended in demolishing the structures.

Uriel tried fighting back. The Flame of God left a trail of gargantuan explosions and fiery projectiles, all of which missed their mark. In an epic clash of black and white, the Fallen won, and now the Star of God had a sword made of light pointed right at the immobilized Archangel's throat.

"You've lost." Kokabiel declared coldly. "Even if you are not the real Uriel I know, the powers and abilities you have displayed are one and the same as the Uriel I fought centuries ago." Not the real Uriel? Xenovia had no idea what the Fallen was saying, but she felt so helpless at seeing one of her venerated figures reduced to such a pitiful state. "I am willing to bet that they are the same even now. That is Heaven's way, unchanging and unyielding. It will lead to your deaths."

The downed Angel remained stopped struggling but remained defiant. "At least we will die Angels. It brings me solace to know that even to the end, I never betrayed my Father. It is better to die true to ourselves than to betray our identities."

Kokabiel sighed. "And that is your problem. Heaven is too rigid, too unbending. The world has changed, Uriel, and it will leave Heaven behind if you do not try to catch up. Look at the Devils, they've evolved to become a civilization that is nearly as advanced as humanity. Even Azazel has his fingers in many pies, dabbling in human corporations and technologies. But Heaven has somehow regressed over the past few centuries. Angels born millennia ago are exactly the same today as they were when during their creations. You do not improve."

"We were made by God," bit back Uriel. "We were made perfect. We do not need to change or alter our forms, for Father has provided everything that we will ever need."

"Perfection." Spat Kokabiel. "I used to believe in that too. But look at us now." He placed a foot on the Archangel's chest. "Where has your misplaced faith in perfection gotten you? Who is the one on the floor, and who has the higher ground?"

Uriel remained quiet, and Kokabiel took that as his cue to keep speaking. "I know that you are not the real Uriel, but you are just as guilty as the rest of them. Heaven was once great. People used to look up to us, and we paved the way to greatness and brilliance. But now other factions and even humanity look at you with disdain, waiting for you to fade with countless other factions. You are no longer relevant. Without Father to lead you, Angels have stagnated. You sought to preserve his work, rather than improve on it and make it your own. That is your flaw, you are utterly spineless and lost without God to lead you."

Without God? Those were the only two words Xenovia registered.

"Kokabiel, stop." Uriel warned, but it was already too late.

A nervous high-pitched voice interrupted them, "I'm sorry," asked Asia shakily, "but what do you mean when you say God isn't leading Heaven anymore?"

"What do I mean?" Kokabiel seemed to think about it before a sorrowful expression overtook his face. "I mean that God-"

"-they do not need to hear this!" Snapped Uriel, but his warning went unheeded.

"-is dead."

* * *

"God is dead?" Raynare repeated the words next to him almost unconsciously, then she chuckled. "About time, the old fart should have kicked the bucket ages ago."

The words were the same as it was yesterday evening, but now there was a hint of melancholy in the Kokabiel's voice that was not there then.

Arisato Minato stopped at the edge of crater where everything was happening. The entire section of the town was destroyed – not a single structure remained standing. That was the result between the battle of Archangels. But it wasn't supposed to be this way. Personas manifested as myths and legends, but this was a different world and the myths and legends here were different in the sense that they were actually real. And because of that, the essences of his Personas had altered slightly. Initially all of them were anchored to his soul, but with actual mystical realms existing, there were some Personas who had began to be tethered to concepts and places beyond his life force.

He suspected that God's death had taken more than an emotional toll on his holy Personas. Even if Uriel was holding back so as to minimize harm to the nearby Devils and the town, he would not have gone down so easily. The Archangel was capable of boiling an entire sea dry in a moment if he wanted to but clearly he was unable to achieve his peak performance. He hoped it was a temporary thing.

But Uriel was now the least of the problems. Judging by the looks of shock on everyone's faces, he realized that God's death was not as public as he initially believed it to be.

"What do you mean, God is dead?" Irina shouted in denial. "God can't die, he's… God!"

"Gods can die, my dear child, and in fact, many of them have. Including ours," said Kokabiel. The Fallen was behaving remarkably calm, forgoing his normally jovial and cheerful persona.

"I refuse to believe that." Xenovia shook her head. "My faith will not be shaken so easily by a Fallen. Your kind is notorious for your dishonesty and deceit. Your blasphemy will not go unpunished."

The Fallen took her harsh words without reaction. He looked to the prone Uriel, then shrugged. "You can't call it blasphemy if it comes from an Archangel's mouth. Tell them Uriel, even though you aren't the real Uriel. But you can tell, can't you? You can feel His influence and power receding everyday. There is no God, not anymore."

They looked at Uriel expectantly. Minato felt sorry for the Archangel, even if the Persona was an extension of his own will. He would have hated being in that position. With flecks of porcelain still chipping from his face, Uriel could only shake his head sadly.

"No…"

The Devils remained respectfully silent. Except Asia, who sunk to her knees. "Then who have I been praying to all this time? Who has it been that I've looked to for guidance and for love?"

"Michael," supplied Kokabiel gently. "He is the one in charge now, and tries his best to fill up God's very big shoes. He does all he can, but even the with help from the Seraphim, it is all he can do to keep Heaven afloat. Heaven… is a mere shadow of what it once was, but I cannot blame Michael completely. It happened so suddenly when he was thrust into that position. Even now, he is very cautious when making decisions, knowing that one single misstep can cost Heaven its existence. He has managed to keep Heaven alive, but just barely."

"So we've been lied to all this time?" Asked Irina. "Heaven has been deceiving us? Taking advantage of our faith and beliefs?"

He felt the sudden urge to step in. Uriel spoke his mind for him.

"No," The Archangel said. "Even without God, Angels are still Angels. We still serve Him, even if He is no longer here is to lead us. We will follow His ideals and His values. We will ensure that His will is carried out even in death."

"There is a fine line between loyalty and stubbornness," Kokabiel said seriously. "If you do not change your ways, there will be a price to pay."

Uriel offered Kokabiel a sad smile. "I'm afraid you are talking to the wrong Archangel. I am not real, I am a manifestation. I do not own a soul I can call my own. My heart and my core do not change unless my master himself changes. My ideals and character are fixed, they do not change no matter how hard I want them to. The same goes for all of my kind. If you want Heaven to change, you must speak to the real Archangels who sit on their thrones above. If you want me to change, you must speak to him."

A crumbling finger pointed straight towards him, and Arisato Minato took a few steps back when he realized that everyone was now looking at him as Uriel disintegrated into fine dust.

"It's always you," sighed Kokabiel. "You keep ruining everything. Why can't things ever be normal with you?"

He frowned. Next to him, Raynare snorted in agreement.

"Hello Raynare," Kokabiel greeted. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I didn't know you had twelve wings," she blinked when she realized that fact for the first time.

"There are many things about ourselves we like to keep hidden, and our dear friend here," Kokabiel's gaze redirected back towards him, "seems to have many secrets."

He ignored the subtle question.

"The Fallen under your charge," he questioned. "Do they know of God's death?"

Kokabiel looked mildly offended. "Of course they do. They were the first and only people I told. They pledged their loyalty to God initially, not me. And when God passed, I offered them a choice. They could pledge their lives to me, or continue to stay in Heaven and rot in stagnation. As you can see… most of them chose the former."

He nodded. That was fair.

The Fallen knew why they were fighting and who they were fighting for. That was good enough for him. "Your men will lose. Call off the fight, and everybody can go home."

Kokabiel flashed a grin at him. "Oh, but we never intended to win. We fully intend on dying here, Arisato Minato."

He narrowed his eyes. "Do you not want to live? Do the Fallen under you not have dreams and desires that they want to accomplish after all this?"

"No, we do not. Angels are created with one purpose, and that is to serve God with all their heart. And not only have we fallen out of His favour, but He is also no longer here with us. Some can adapt, and folks like Azazel have found little hobbies to occupy their time with. But believe me when I say Fallen or not, God's death has left a little hole in every Angel's heart whether they know it or not. When your aeons-old purpose is suddenly removed, you will find that many Angels and Fallen will find no meaning in their lives. So no, you will find that the Fallen here are more than happy to give their lives to this noble cause."

His lips twitched. There were sirens in the background, and the city of Kuoh was now a sea of fire. "That is sad. That your definition of noble has sunk so low."

He could see a trace of anger appear on the Fallen's face. "Oh? I suppose we think differently. I like to think that saving the human race is very noble."

"You are not saving them. You are belittling them."

"I would never do that," Kokabiel flared, "unlike many of my brethren, I see the potential that humanity carries. I know that with enough time, they will be able to transcend even our wildest imaginations. They have already achieved things nobody even thought of, and one day they will be able to go beyond even the furthest stars and turn the whole universe into their sandbox. Your kind will go on to do great things, I am sure of it."

He laughed. A genuine sound of amusement forced its way out of his mouth without his permission. Kokabiel glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"It's just that you think humans will be able colonize the universe, but you don't think they can stand up to the supernatural by themselves? It is absurd, and I believe you underestimate us."

"Perhaps you overestimate yourself. You are a young race and, like toddlers, your kind is very vulnerable to external influences. Look how many people are eager to shed their humanity to gain some magic?" He pointed to the crowd of Devils. "Two purebloods, the rest of which are Reincarnated Devils, doomed to serve as an inferior member of society for the rest of their lives."

"That's not true!" an indignant Rias objected. "I love my Peerage as I love my family. In fact, I like them more than some purebloods."

"She is correct," Sona agreed, "there have been numerous amendments to the Constitution to ensure that Reincarnated Devils receive the same treatment and rights as purebloods."

Kokabiel gave them a deadpan look. Under his intense scrutiny, Rias balked, "fine, perhaps not all of Devilkind is… receptive towards the Reincarnated Devil system, and there are many that even abuse their Peerages, but I believe that with enough time both humans and Devils will be able to accept each other's presence."

He pointed towards her. "See? That's noble. You should learn from her optimism."

Kokabiel rolled his eyes. "We do not have time for your naivety. Every second we waste, another human is seduced in a succubi's brothel or addicted to drugs grown on the fertile lands of satyrs. You think all these factions are content to sit by and do nothing as your civilization creates unfathomable wonders and pleasures? No! They want in, and they've blended themselves into your society in order to achieve the resources to monopolize this. Drugs, prostitution, greedy corporations, they have their grubby little fingers in all your pies, and they're stealing what is rightfully yours."

It had turned into a rant, and by the time he was done, Kokabiel's face was contorted with fury. "Don't you see it? They're a poison! They're holding you back from what you can truly be!"

"If I am to realize my potential through killing my friends, I would not do it," he stated.

Kokabiel's arms dropped limply to the side. "Naïve. So naïve! I have heard this from so many humans. That you will 'find a way'. There is no way! I've seen so many people try and fail, including myself! Gods and heroes have died trying, betrayed by those they put their faith in. Time and time again, the wretchedness of the supernatural has reared its ugly head to show us that coexistence is impossible."

"It is possible." He declared without missing a beat. "The proof is right in front of you. Human Exorcists and Devils working together to defeat a warmongering megalomaniac." He pointed towards Issei and the others.

"You would base the future of the world on a group of teenagers?"

SEES was a group of teenagers and he was certain that they had managed to save the world from some terrible danger, even if he could not remember it right now. "Yes. I have done so before, I will do so again."

"And you think they can bring peace?"

"No," he said flatly. "People aren't perfect. If humans can't even enjoy peace amongst themselves, there is no way they will be able to live harmoniously with the supernatural. But they will be able to coexist on equal terms."

Kokabiel did not look satisfied. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I will help them."

"You will be fighting against gods. Real gods, as well as the pantheons they lead. And while this," he gestured towards the carnage around them, "is all very impressive, it is not enough. Show me, Arisato Minato, the resolve you hold that makes you certain that you can go toe-to-toe with the monsters that rule this world."

 **"With pleasure."**

They did not notice the sounds of war had stopped, did not realize that their little exchange had attracted an audience. They were surrounded. Personas, dozens of them, formed a protective circle around them. They bared their fangs, readied their legendary weapons, and stood vigil guard in a ring where Arisato Minato was at the center of it all.

The others looked up in amazement, basking in the sight of heroes, monsters, demons, and villains alike unified in their purpose to serve. They had their backs facing them and they stood in the air undaunted by the tens of thousands of Fallen that formed a dome around them.

The silenced awe was broken was Kokabiel gulped. "I did not know you had so many of them."

"Well," he responded, "now you do."

Kokabiel wings spread open and he flew up to study one of them. Lancelot of Camelot did not flinch under the hard gaze of the Fallen, and instead maintained his pensive expression. "Sir Lancelot at your service," the knight bowed when Kokabiel asked for his name.

"They are real or rather, tangible. But this is not the original Lancelot I know. Yet his presence is nearly indistinguishable from the original. This is your power, Arisato Minato? The ability to recreate and revive ancient myths and legends?"

As Kokabiel returned to the ground, he shook his head. "They are materializations of thought. Manifestations of the soul. Fractures of the human psyche. Personas."

Kokabiel gawked at him. "You mean… you've created life from nothing but your own soul?"

He felt a little uncomfortable. Kokabiel was looking at him the same way Raynare had. Was his power really that extraordinary in this world? He did not remember being so taken away and befuddled when he first learnt of Personas.

Slowly, he nodded. Kokabiel was not wrong.

"That's something only a god can do."

He was going to refute that claim, but his Personas had other ideas. The same deep voice as before rang out.

 **"He is more than that, Fallen."**

The rest made way for the speaker. He was human, looking rather ordinary next to the exotic creatures and demi-humans he was next to. His armor was simple, a Roman suit of armor from millennia ago, paling in comparison to the ornate and grandiose pieces of garments the heroes and villains around him donned. But he was no less imposing than them.

Their eyes were riveted on the spear the man held. It shined with a brilliant golden glow, it's wavy and sharp tip was coated red with blood that seemed to constantly drip down the length of the shaft.

Minato could understand their fascination with the weapon, eyeing how Kokabiel had his mouth agape as he gazed at it. The Devils flinched from its bright glow while the Exorcists had looks of veneration in their eyes. Some men made the weapon. But some weapons made the man, and this Persona was one of the latter, so much so that his own name had been lost to history and replaced by the name of the weapon that he had wielded.

"That spear…" Kokabiel mumbled unconsciously. "Why do you have it?"

 **"Because it is mine. You asked for a demonstration of his resolve to stand against gods. Well, here I am."**

There was a sharp intake of breath from Kokabiel. "But that would mean that you are…"

The Persona nodded, the bright red plume on his helmet dipping slightly.

 **"I am the blind Centurion.**

 **The non-believer, deliverer of judgement.**

 **I am he who pierced the Holy Lord's flesh.**

 **I am he whose eyes the Lord cured with His blood.**

 **I am the first to be redeemed, the first to be saved.**

 **I am Saint Longinus, wielder of the Holy Lance that pierced the side of God."**

He smiled slightly when he noticed that Asia, Xenovia and Irina had gotten to one knee. This Persona had that kind of effect on people, and even Kokabiel was not unaffected.

The Fallen's stare was fixated on the tip of the spear, where crimson liquid, still fresh and slick, dripped on the ground. His mouth opened and closed continuously, but no sound came out. He realized with a pang of hurt that the small endless supply of blood on the Persona's spear was the closest thing Kokabiel had seen of God in what must have been a very long time.

He stood in silence as Kokabiel wiped a lone tear from the corners of his eyes.

When the red-eyed man regained his composure, he turned back to Saint Longinus. "You said he's more than that. How so?"

When the Persona replied, his pulled his power back and his voice came out as it would a normal human being.

"He's saved the world from destruction before. He can do it again. In fact, he'll do more than save the human race. The boy will save everyone. Judging from what I've seen here, I do not think there are many gods that can claim to do the same. Besides," the man's stern exterior cracked, revealing a knowing smile, "you can't call someone who has gods in his head a god as well, can you? We've stuck to just calling him boy. It makes things so much easier."

The lighthearted tone of Saint Longinus caused Kokabiel to chuckle as well. "That is fair, I suppose." Meanwhile, the 'boy' in question was slightly puzzled at the Persona's statement. So he had saved the world before, but when?

Saint Longinus took a deep bow before fading into nothingness, returning to the Sea of Souls now that his job was done.

Kokabiel turned his attention back towards him. "I have misjudged you. I am sorry for that. You have far more to offer than this, don't you? How many of them do you have?"

"Enough."

Kokabiel turned around to face the horde of Fallen in the sky, none of whom had moved a muscle the whole time.

"My brothers and sisters!" He yelled to them. "I hope you have all heard that! This boy, Arisato Minato, he will accomplish what you and I could not!"

Murmurings broke out amongst the Fallen and Arisato Minato could see the looks of uncertainty spreading throughout their ranks. Whatever they had been expecting, it wasn't this. They had come here, prepared to wage war against the whole world. What Kokabiel was doing was as good throwing in the towel.

"For centuries, we have stood by as the silent guardians of humans, slaying all those who would wish them harm. We have lost countless of our comrades killing their enemies and protecting them. We have made it our mission to protect humans from the evil clutches of those who seek to exploit them, for they could not protect themselves yet. But that has changed!"

Kokabiel pointed to him, and he could feel more than forty thousand eyeballs swivel in their sockets towards his direction.

"We have here a boy whose strength is nearly unprecedented for humans, surpassing even the greatest of ancient heroes! He stands contrary to our belief that the supernatural is corroding away humans' potential! If we were wrong about that, then maybe we were wrong about the supernatural way as well. Maybe this boy knows the way forward, and it is all we can do to follow him." Kokabiel smiled fondly at him, "this is always the way it was supposed to be. For us to be blinded by your brilliance and to simply follow the path that your kind has paved."

Then he turned back to the sky where the uncountable host of Fallen were descending onto the ground. "You have seen his might, seen the power that he holds within his fingertips. Is there anyone amongst you that doubts him?" Kokabiel paused for a moment, surveying their ranks. "No? Then I hereby declare Arisato Minato as the new shepherd of humanity!"

There was no applause, no cheering. Only silent respect as each and every single Fallen landed on the ground and knelt towards him.

And all of sudden, Arisato Minato felt very out of place again. He looked towards his friends for help, but they were cheerfully participating as well.

Issei gave him a flashing grin and a thumbs up. Rias and Akeno offered him curtsies, and their bodies bent forward as they did so, letting him catch a very generous look at their chests. Then he realized it was no accident when he saw the lewd smile on Akeno's face. Sona, as usual, propped up her glasses and nodded her head in acknowledgement while Asia waved to him excitedly. The others gave their respects in a smattering display of bows and smiles.

"I'm not giving you shit," Raynare huffed and crossed her arms at him. He smiled.

He was about to sigh when something made him freeze instead. A chill raced through his body and he looked up and saw everybody stiffening as well. Every fibre of body screamed at him to run away, to curl up into a ball and just hide.

"Oh my," Kokabiel said, "it seems the Devil has finally arrived."

He turned to the Fallen. "The Devil?"

It was Rias who replied. "This feeling… it's my brother."

He remembered the phone call with Rias' brother, who was supposedly the leader of the Devils and the strongest Devil in existence. He sounded... reasonable.

As if on cue, he finally saw him. A red streak in the sky, barreling towards the town so fast he could see cloudbursts as he broke the sound barrier.

"Uh oh. It seems he's a little angrier than I anticipated."

He turned to look at the surprisingly calm Kokabiel. "What does that mean?"

"It means he can't be reasoned with until he kills someone. Probably me. And all the Fallen here. And maybe even you. Basically, nobody here is safe except for that little redhead there." He pointed at Rias.

"I'll talk to him!" She pleaded, "I'm sure we can talk things out!"

"My dear girl… The Crimson Lucifer did not become a Satan by 'talking things out'. In his most primal fighting state, he's a 'destroy everything, ask questions later' kind of guy."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Absolutely nothing," replied Kokabiel. At seeing their stunned looks, he shrugged. "There's no way in hell I can beat him when he's like this. And besides, the original plan was for him to bust in here after I killed the two Pillar heirs and in his rage he'll kill us. And then in his grief, he won't listen to reason and he'll degenerate into his psychotic war-loving self where he'll declare war on the Fallen and Heaven simply because he wants to. I'm more than prepared to die. Hopefully he'll be satisfied with killing the Fallen present and leave you guys alone."

He blinked at Kokabiel. So did almost all non-Fallen present. From behind him, Raynare whistled appreciatively.

"What? I told you I had a plan. There was actually a lot more planning involved but some stuff happened like the Excaliburs being destroyed that caused me to use plan B instead. You guys should be thanking me. I'm volunteering to sacrifice myself, by the way."

"But this was all your fault in the first place!" Issei retorted. Kokabiel shrugged.

Arisato Minato had a better plan. "Do you remember what Saint Longinus said?"

Kokabiel nodded, "yes, why?"

"He said I was going to save everybody, and you and the Fallen happen to fall under the category of 'everybody'."

There was the sound of glass breaking as the entity known as Sirzechs Lucifer dive-bombed straight towards the town, and a giant crack broke through the top of the barrier-dome that covered the town.

"See that?" Kokabiel pointed. "This barrier was maintained by two thousand eight-winged Angels. Two thousand. And he just tore through it like paper, I'm sorry Arisato Minato, but I don't think even you are strong enough to stop him before he kills us all."

Around them, the rest of the barrier began to collapse, disintegrating into purple glitter that snowed onto the ground.

Arisato Minato blinked. He rubbed his eyes. He could hear squawks and gasps of surprise from the others at the sight that surrounded them.

Kuoh… was Kuoh. There was no sign of war. Piles of rubble and debris were replaced with pristine buildings. Empty cars were arranged neatly on roads, and even the smell of smoke was gone. It was like there wasn't even a war in the first place.

"Impressive right? I tried to reverse-engineer the barriers that you Devils used for Rating Games to keep the battlefield preserved even after the fight. It's very crude, and lacks the revival ability of yours, but hey, I couldn't just destroy and uproot the homes of over a hundred thousand Kuoh residents. Oh, you can stop staring at me like I'm your hero now. Marvel at my charitable nature and my magical genius later. Actually, since we're all going to die, you can do it now."

That piece of information finalized his decision. Kokabiel was not allowed to die. But even he doubted he could protect the Fallen from the crimson comet coming straight towards him. Thankfully, he had Personas, who were very useful.

"Charon, take them away." He felt the ferryman of the dead's energy overwhelm the whole city, and a giant vortex suddenly replaced the ground.

"Wai-"

And just like that, Kokabiel and around thirty thousand Fallen Angels vanished into the ground.

"What?" asked Raynare in disbelief next to him.

The others looked around, trying to find hide or hair of the Fallen to no avail.

There was no time to enjoy or explain his little magic trick. The earth shook, and there was a boom behind him. He turned to look at the overbearing presence behind him.

It was humanoid in shape, but instead of a body, it was simply made up of a crimson void that took on a fiery form that began to float back up in the air. It wasn't fire, for there was no heat. It simply felt… empty. He could sense the air and magic that came into contact with the being simply… cease to exist. It's desire to consume was so potent and intense that it didn't even give off a single vibe – for that too was devoured by it. It made Rias' initial attack on him in the church a week ago feel like a hungry puppy. The feeling of annihilation that Sirzechs Lucifer gave off was simply several leagues higher than his redheaded schoolmate. No, it was more fair to say that in this case, Sirzechs Lucifer was annihilation itself.

Then Sirzechs Lucifer looked at him, and he instinctively stretched his hand out, and a great serpent as thick as a bus burst out from his fingertips to intercept the beam of destruction that screamed towards him. It was not Apophis, for this serpent was not made of the shadows and the night. Instead, vibrant and colorful shiny scales coated its slender body. It's head was already gone, devoured by the Power of Destruction.

But that was the point. In the short time he had come into contact with Rias' power he learnt something. It moved by devouring. In other words, if he could provide something for it to devour at the same rate it consumed, the Power of Destruction would become immobilized.

So he had chosen the longest Persona he knew of, one whose body length stretched the length of the world itself.

Jormungand, the World Serpent itself, was now acting as a buffer between Arisato Minato and Sirzechs Lucifer. And it was not happy. But it complied, because in that instant where its head simply vanished out of existence, both Jormungand and Arisato Minato realized something.

Sirzechs Lucifer was a monster.

He could feel Jormungand's presence in the Sea of Souls vanishing at an alarming rate. This was different from being defeated in battle, where they would simply return his soul and lick their wounds. There was no coming back from the Power of Destruction. If it consumed you, Persona or not, there was no coming back. In the back of his mind he found it mildly disappointing that his apparent immortality was not so immortal at all, because there was not a shred a doubt of in his mind that if the attack so much as touched him, he would die.

Already, an equivalent of a quarter of Jormungand's body length had been stolen by Sirzechs. In a matter of seconds, Sirzechs Lucifer had annihilated an amount of magical energy and matter equivalent to one quarter the circumference of the Earth.

Half.

Three quarters.

Was there no end? In fact, it only felt like the beam of carnage was getting more voracious. At this rate, he would lose Jormungand permanently.

He was just about to tag out Jormungand with another Persona when his vision was suddenly overwhelmed with the colour red.

"Mitsuru, don't!" he shouted instinctively.

But it was not Mitsuru, and Rias Gremory's instinctive voice cried out, "Onii-sama, stop this madness at once!"

The black holes that served as the eyes of Sirzechs Lucifer blinked, and the Power of Destruction vanished.

Jormungand however, did not. With nothing left to consume it, the rest of the World Serpent's body manifested itself straight towards Sirzech's stationary body. It slammed into his body with the force of the freight train, and both Jormungand and Sirzechs Lucifer were sent into the sky within the blink of an eye. The last thing he saw was Lucifer's head tilting in apparent surprise.

"What…" Rias mouth dropped.

His own eyes widened as he realized what just happened. Jormungand had stopped extending, reaching what full length it had left, which was still quite significant by mortal standards. He quickly dismissed the scaly body that grew out of right hand and looked at his empty palm, blinking erratically as he stared at it.

"Erm… where did he go?" Raynare voiced out. She was pretending her hands were binoculars, peering into the sky, in the direction where Lucifer and Jormungand had sailed off into the distance.

He did the math in his head. He could feel his eyes widen in shock, not because of how far it was, but simply how short.

"He's about ten kilometres above the island of Hokkaido."

He ignored the dumbfounded expressions he received. He did not respond to the very obvious tics on Rias' forehead as she looked at him, unamused. He did not even notice the small smiles of amusement on some of the other's faces.

In less than a minute, Sirzechs Lucifer had destroyed more than ninety-nine per cent of Jormungand's body. Granted the Persona's spiritual and magical capacities were nowhere near its physical ones, but that was still very worrying.

So these were the monsters that Kokabiel was warning him against.

* * *

Kokabiel blinked. Now it was his turn to be surprised at the sudden change of environment.

He was on a boat. A very big boat. In fact, he would compare it to the Ark of Noah nearly three thousand years ago. But instead of animals, it was filled to the brim with Fallen. Familiar faces littered the deck. These were his men, he realized, and they must have been transported together with him. They all looked equally confused as he felt.

He realized he was at the helm of the ship, where the captain normally stood.

"Welcome."

He jumped in fright at the sudden voice next to him. He got even more frightened when he turned to look. The man was clearly not human. He wore a hooded cloak, revealing only his face. His skin was so pale, he could see the layout of the blood vessels underneath it. His eye-bags were so sunken and his face so skinny that he was certain the man should be dead. A pair of caked and dry lips split open, revealing two rows of yellow rotten teeth. "I'm Charon, ferryman of the dead."

He knew of the Greek mythological figure. So that answered the question of why they were here. They were dead, probably killed by Lucifer so fast they didn't even realize it. But that only raised the question on why the Greek deity was ferrying them, members of the Abrahamic pantheon.

"Don't I have to pay you golden coins for you to ferry us?"

The man cracked a wry smile, and Kokabiel resisted the urge to shudder at the man's raspy voice. "Friends of the boy get to travel for free."

Oh, so this was Arisato Minato's fault again.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm the ferryman of the dead," Charon replied dryly, "where do you think?"

"Oh."

"You should go down and talk to them," Charon gestured to the deck below. "It will be your last time seeing some of them."

He gulped. Charon had a point. And as much as he wanted to ask the Greek myth more questions, it would be remiss of him not to talk to the men and women that had lived and died by his side.

And so he mingled with them. Instead of a leader, he became a comrade. Instead of a general, he became a brother. Death was the greatest equalizer. He tried to assuage their fears, listening to their final thoughts and thanking them for always sticking by his side.

"Lord Kokabiel."

He turned.

"Hello Dorian," he greeted his scout kindly.

"I want to thank you, my Lord. It has been an honor to serve by your side. You're different from the other Archangels. They too, are kind and compassionate, but you, my lord, are different. You have empathy. You see past our wings, past our abilities, and you see us for who we truly are. The other Archangels… they just can't seem to do it. They see everyone else and themselves as mere pieces in the system, nothing but an organic body with a specific function to fulfill. But you didn't. You gave me authority to command an entire army even though I was never created to do so. And for that I wanted to thank you so much, my Lord, for giving me a purpose that was bigger than myself."

He wanted to respond, but the Fallen retreated into the sea of faces before he could reply. And then he was swarmed again by the others, and he forgot all about it.

A hand grabbed his. He pulled the owner in front of him.

"Arianna," he said forlornly. He had always known of the commander's feelings for him, even if he did not reciprocate it.

"Lord Kokabiel," she bowed slightly. He ignored the blushing of her cheeks. "So this is it, huh? The end of our wonderful journey together."

"Arianna…"

A finger pressed against his lips as she shushed him.

"Have you ever wondered why so many of us Fell with you?"

Finger still pressed against his lips, he nodded his head. He'd asked himself that many times, how it was that his entire army had chosen to Fall with him after God's death.

"It's because we believe in you. Do you know why we followed Father? We followed him because we were born to follow him. But you're different. We chose to follow you. Not everyone here believed in the same things as God. Some were even happy that you Fell so that they could Fall with you. So do you want to know why some of us chose to follow you over God?"

He paused. Since he was dead, there really was no harm in knowing, so he nodded.

"It's because we were with you every step of the way. We watched you grow. You think Father hid the fact that you were born human well? Hardly. Almost all of us know." His eyebrows rose in surprise, but Arianna kept talking. "We watched you turn from a boy into the fine man and leader you are today. You let nothing deter you, and your passion and intensity inspired many of us to work even harder performing our duties. But when you Fell after that fateful mission, many of us were heartbroken. We thought it was the end for you. But no, you had that same fire in your eyes and that same determined smile on your face. And that's how we knew that for you, things were just beginning and that you were going to grow so much more and so much faster. And we wanted to be with you every step of that amazing journey. More than that, many of us wanted to help you in that amazing journey. Do you understand? We Fell for you."

The finger peeled itself from his lips, and was replaced by Arianna's own soft pair of lips. He did not return the kiss, but neither did he reject it. "Especially me." She added with a smile when she was done.

"Goodbye, Kokabiel."

And then, like Dorian, she vanished into the crowd.

Things continued for what felt like an eternity. He returned to the helm to catch a breath. He felt emotionally and mentally exhausted.

"We're almost there." Said Charon, even though when Kokabiel looked, he noticed no difference in their surroundings. They were still on a boat on a river with no land in sight.

"Finally," another voice groaned from the side. "I was getting seasick. Heh, I meant sea-Styx." The rough voice chuckled.

He turned around.

"Mauriel. What are you doing up here?" He asked his long-time friend.

The man pulled himself away from the railing to face him. He looked a little green.

"Same as you," he said lazily. "It's noisy and crowded down there. You know me, I value my peace and quiet."

Kokabiel smiled. That he did. He remembered the times when he and Mauriel would escape from boring meetings and lectures when he was a six-winged Angel. Then they would get caught by Uriel or Raphael and they would be scolded.

"But still," Mauriel added as an afterthought, "when things were noisy and messy… it was always nice knowing that you were always there, by my side, watching my back."

"It's been a pleasure to know you Mauriel."

"Pleasure's mine," Mauriel turned and began to walk down the steps onto the bustling deck. "Well, it's my stop. See you on the other side, pal."

And he too, vanished.

The boat suddenly lurched to a halt.

A portion of the walls slammed downwards, forming a bridge to connect the ark to a dock that appeared out of nowhere and apparently led to nowhere. It was completely dark, and a lone paraffin lamp lit a small area of the dock before it was engulfed by darkness. Fallen began to trudge along it, and they disappeared into the night past the jurisdiction of the lone light source.

Charon stood at the exit of the boat, ushering people out. "Welcome to the afterlife." He sounded almost bored.

Kokabiel made haste to join the queue, but when it was finally his turn, a sleeved arm block him from stepping off.

"Not your stop." Charon said gruffly.

"What?"

"I said not your stop." The man coughed, "the afterlife is for deceased people only."

"But..."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Charon, ferryman of the dead," Kokabiel stepped back in bafflement, but the man flashed him another disgusting smile, "but I'm the boy's chauffeur in my spare time."

The skinny hand pushed him back with more strength than he expected. He landed in the arms of his Fallen brethren. "Go back to the living."

"Wait, I don't understand!" He called out.

"It's not that hard," Charon pinched the bridge of his nose, "some of you are dead, but most of you are alive. Congratulations. You get to live and get screwed over by life another day."

"Wait, what about the those who are dead? What happens to them?"

Charon shrugged noncommittally, "whatever happens to dead people."

"Will they be judged? Will it be fair?" His tone was almost pleading.

Charon turned to give him a long hard stare. "Death does not judge," it almost sounded like he was consoling him, "it only takes and accepts."

And with that, the makeshift ramp swung back up. He raced over to lean over the edge, to catch one last glimpse of those that served with him and died for him.

There only three people left visible, and they were nearing at the edge of the abyss.

He called out their names, wanting to catch a glimpse of their faces one last time.

They turned.

They smiled and waved.

They stepped forward into the unknown.

And for the first time since God's death, Kokabiel cried like a baby.

* * *

 **A/N:^This doesn't count as a cliffhanger right...**

 **Anyway, next chapter will be the epilogue to the Kokabiel Arc and we will begin the Wedding ARC! On that note, I've realised I pretty much wrote six chapters to cover one arc in the story(abt 56k words for this arc). That is not sustainable. So the Wedding Arc and subsequent arcs would probably be slightly shorter, though I'll make sure I won't skimp on quality.**

 **As always, leave a review, follow, and favourite, let's hit 2k soon, yea?**

 **~Paulzies**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey guys, new chapter! This one is un-Beta-ed because shaded is busy :(, so bear with it if some of it seems weird or off, okay?**

 **Anyway, if you guys like Code Geass or K, do check my bio for a new story (It'll be replacing King of the World)! Also, someone has very nicely drawn fan-art for me, which I do appreciate greatly. (One of them is the cover art of the fic), and I've put up links in the bio as well. (P.S. I have discovered that you can't put links in your bio, so erm... we'll put that on hold for now.) But do send e your fan-art if you did draw them, I'd really like to see!**

 **Anyway, one thing to clarify. Some of you pointed out that Sirzechs was too OP in the previous chapter because of how easily he beat Jormungand. Well, that's partly my bad for not doing my research. I didn't know that Jormungand existed in canon as a Dragon King, so... whoops. In other words, the Jormungand the Persona is much weaker than Jormungand the Dragon King. The Persona is basically a giant snake with nearly zero magical powers. So... I tried my best to patch up this plot hole, though the explanation in the chapter below might be a little bit awkward.**

* * *

CHAPTER 13:

"Ah, Arisato-san. I'm terrible sorry about being uncontactable, I was… occupied."

Azazel had finally called him back, and the man sounded as though he was in bliss. He supposed several days in a den of Succubi would do that to the apparent pervert.

He rolled his eyes, "hello. Everything's been settled and done. You're welcome, by the way."

"Thanks… but I figured that out when Kokabiel and the twenty thousand Fallen left under his command suddenly showed up on my doorstep to turn themselves in."

He could feel his eyebrows rising at Azazel's statement. "What?"

"That's right. I'm not quite sure what you did, but Kokabiel suddenly had a change in heart, and he says he's very sorry and guilty for the numerous atrocities he's committed."

"Huh." In all honesty, Minato did not expect Kokabiel to take responsibility for his actions. He thought the Fallen would have simply continued hiding in the shadows, patiently watching his every move. "What are you going to do with them?"

There was a short pause on Azazel's side before the Governor replied, "well, the men were misled to believe that I was the one giving the orders, so I can't really punish them too hard." He was certain that was a lie. "Perhaps some probation and a stern warning and I'll let them join back the Grigori. But Kokabiel's a different story. On one hand, he's done some really terrible things using the Grigori's name. On the other hand, I have two enraged Satans demanding for his head."

"So either way, he will be punished," he concluded, "even though he has changed for the better."

"Well, him becoming a better person doesn't bring back the dozens of Sacred Gear users he's killed. And letting him re-enter the ranks of the Grigori after all he's done will send the wrong message to well… everybody. Sirzechs would most definitely be displeased with that. But this is not why I called you. I was asked to pass you a message."

"From who?"

"Kokabiel, of course. He was quite adamant that you hear this. He said that there will still be some fallout from his apocalypse-bringing plan. He's tried to do as much damage control as possible, but you know how it goes when you're trying to destroy the world, you don't really have a reset button. Anyway, he would like to thank you for volunteering to clean up his mess while he's stuck in Cocytus."

"Cocytus?" And what was that about volunteering? He didn't remember doing that. Shouldn't Azazel be the one cleaning up his wayward subordinate's mess?

"The supernatural equivalent of a super-jail. Only the most twisted and powerful villains are sent there. I got him a really strong cell, too. He'd have to be an Archangel to break out of it."

His breath hitched. Kokabiel was an Archangel. Did Azazel not know that?

"Wait, but-"

"-Anyways," Azazel cut him off, "all the best, Mister Shephard!"

And then Azazel hung up abruptly.

Minato looked at the silent phone in his hand, his mind still trying to decide if Azazel had been trying to tell him something implicitly in the last bit of their conversation.

Unfortunately, his internal debate was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing her voice.

He looked up and saw an impatient look on Sona Sitri's face. She was not alone. The entire Student Council was there, along with the Gremory Peerage and the two Exorcists. Right, Azazel's abrupt phone call had interrupted their interrogation of him.

"Who was that?" Rias asked.

"An acquaintance." He replied, knowing that bringing in Azazel would probably only worsen the situation.

She continued staring at him, but he left it like that.

He felt very odd, almost like an outsider. He was alone, in the centre of the Student Council Room while everyone else was standing around Sona's desk watching him. Raynare had not been invited and was still in class, probably finishing the whole year's work. In the grand scheme of things, he supposed he was an outsider.

This was not his world after all.

"So," Sona began, "How goes your recollection of memories?"

"Slow. I have regained some, but none that will be particularly useful to you." He didn't lie, not only because he didn't want to, but also because the Devils had showed remarkable memory-manipulating magics. There had been a clean-up crew of Devils that arrived shortly after Sirzechs that ensured that no humans in Kuoh would remember anything suspicious. And so, life carried on as per normal in Kuoh for the ordinary human after the Battle of Kuoh.

Unfortunately, he was deemed as rather _extra_ -ordinary.

"Oh? You'll be surprised at what I find useful." Sona said with a small smirk on her face. "We have many questions, and we've been holding them in ever since the events at the Church with the Excaliburs and King Oberon."

That had felt ages ago but truthfully, it had only been two nights since. "I will do my best to answer them," he conceded.

"When you showed the ability to wield the Excaliburs and Durandal, as well as considering King Oberon's arrival, some of us believed that Xenovia's initial… hypothesis that you were aligned to the Faefolk held some merit. Is there any accuracy in her claim?"

He shook his head, vividly remembering the mirth he felt when Xenovia had asked him if he was a Fairy out of the blue.

"I see," Sona nodded, "of course, that is to be expected when we consider yesterday's events. I distinctly remember more than just Fairies being there. A certain Archangel and Saint comes to mind, and they are certainly not related to the Fae in anyway."

"They are not the real mythological figures you are thinking of. The real Uriel is unaware of my existence, the real Saint Longinus is most likely dead. The same can be said of everyone you saw that day. Those are my own creations, not those that already exist in this world."

A thoughtful look appeared on Sona's face. "That is what I garnered from your conversation with Kokabiel yesterday, but it is still very hard to believe, and even harder to comprehend."

"That's right, Arisato-san," agreed Irina Shidou, "maybe you can show us another demonstration, call in one of your thingies and let it explain!" The brown-haired Exorcist seemed to be in a particularly cheerful mood, most likely because Issei was sitting right next to her. Said boy's eyes lit up at hearing her words, and he stood up as well.

"That's a good idea! We didn't really get a close look yesterday, but it already felt so amazing then! I want to see what your thingies look like up close!"

He slapped a palm to his face, and took a long deep breath. "They are called Personas," he clarified, "and they are not some kind of party trick I can do to satisfy your curiosity and entertain you all with. Many of them hold great power, and calling them forth into existence can have very serious repercussions."

Rias crossed her arms and huffed, "that didn't seem to stop you yesterday."

"Kuoh was at war and your lives were in danger. Would you have preferred if I did nothing?"

 _'I will talk to them.'_

A deep voice resounded in his mind and he sighed. This was not completely unexpected. He could tell the Persona had been itching to come out ever since he saw Xenovia.

Before the Devils could respond, they were silenced by the bright flash of light that appeared next to him.

When Roland of Charlemagne appeared, he was not dressed for war. Instead of armour, he wore a simple tunic that did little to hide the scarred skin on the man's muscled limbs. Durandal, his faithful partner, lay dormant in its scabbard hanging from his side.

"Greetings," Roland raised a hand. "I am Roland. You might know me as the wielder of Durandal. We have actually met in the Church, even though you might not have known then."

Huh, watching their jaws drop was strangely satisfying. Perhaps he should have done this earlier.

And then Xenovia sunk to her knees.

"Lord Roland. It is an honour to have you in my presence. I have heard stories of your greatness ever since I was a child, and your legendary skill with Durandal has always been an inspiration for me to strive even further to better my skills."

Roland beamed at her, "ah yes. So you are Durandal's current wielder. Feisty, isn't she? You have done very well, and I am more than certain that you will be able to surpass me one day."

The look on Xenovia's face could only be described as pure bliss, and Irina had to support her friend up as she was too giddy with joy to stand up properly.

"Now, I believe that you have questions about us that I can answer."

"Yes. First off, are you really the Roland, Paladin of Charlemagne?" Sona launched a question straight off the bat.

The man took some time to think about it. "Yes I am. Conceptually."

"Conceptually?"

"I am not the Roland that existed centuries ago. I am the concept of Roland given form. When someone as great and legendary as Roland exists, people naturally have their own perceptions of him. In the case of Roland, they saw him as a powerful swordsman, whose identity was linked to Durandal. They thought of him as a kind and just man, a person with unwavering loyalty and dashing good looks," he winked. "And that is the Roland that I have become. In truth, the real Roland of Charlemagne might not have been like this. He might have kicked puppies when nobody was looking, he might have been a wife-beater, or an alcoholic. But I would not have such bad vices because such terrible qualities do not fall under the 'idea' that takes the name of Roland Charlemagne."

At this, some of them seemed to nod in understanding. Some people however, like Issei, still seemed very lost. He shot his hand in the air.

"I have a question. Does that mean that this Roland person could have actually been a very bad guy in real life?"

"Every myth has a sliver of truth in it. People would not think that Roland was magnanimous unless he was actually magnanimous to people. But at the same time, there might be some of his historical qualities that were exaggerated or even neglected, and thus I do not represent them accurately. For example, the real Roland might have actually been skilful with a bow and arrow, but because nobody ever saw him use one, I would most likely miss every shot I take should you hand me one."

Issei nodded in understanding. "I think I get it now. It's like how photoshop and make-up causes actresses look really good in movies, but in real life they look just like regular people, right?"

Roland blinked, and started to stutter, "are-are you honestly comparing a material manifestation of a concept to cosmetics and computer editing?"

Issei cocked his head, clearly not understanding the question that Roland asked.

"Never mind. Your analogy is somewhat accurate. It will suffice for now."

With that question settled, Sona asked the next one. "If you… Personas are manifestations of myths and legends, then does that mean that you have the same authority and powers as the original?"

"That night in the church, when the boy channeled my power through him. He did pick up Durandal and swing it about, didn't he? I believe that should answer your question. Very few of us differ in identity from our original counterparts."

Minato noticed how Sona and a few others paled visibly at Roland's response. There was a very subtle message there, one that would have completely gone right by their heads if the question was not already burning at the forefront of their minds.

They could finally understand the implications of the events that had transpired yesterday. They had literally been standing near a real Archangel, despite Uriel's claim that he was not. They had been surrounded by gods, heroes, villains, and demons. They had been in the company of beings so strong that whole religions and epics had been built around their existences. And every single one of them had bowed their heads to the boy standing in front of them.

"I think… that is enough questions about your Personas. The rest of the questions are meant for you, Arisato-san."

"Wait." Roland held up a hand. He walked towards Xenovia, who looked as though she was deciding between fear and excitement as an appropriate emotion to feel. "May I hold it? The blade on my hip has been outdated for centuries. I want to know how she has lived without me. I want to know what kind of adventures she has gone on, what kind of masters that have held her, what kind of flesh and tissue her peerless edge has bit into."

There was no hesitation on Xenovia's part. Durandal was in Roland's hand so fast he wondered if the blade had actually forced itself out of wherever Xenovia stored it.

Roland held it as dearly a mother would her infant. With uncharacteristic gentleness, the swordsman caressed the blade, running his fingers along its sharp length. For once, the Peerless Blade dulled her edges, letting her first wielder molest and handle her without complaint.

"You've grown so much. I could barely recognise you."

He wondered if he was the only one who found it odd that the man was talking aloud to his sword in such a disturbing tone.

After a few minutes of relishing in the sword's presence, he finally returned it to Xenovia.

"She's a good blade. Treat her well, and she'll be the best partner you could ever ask for. She likes you, and I hope that you never do anything to betray that trust."

Xenovia nodded her head fanatically. "Of course, Lord Roland! I will make sure I do her name justice!"

"That is very good. I am relieved. Now, you can continue barraging the poor boy with questions." With a final parting look towards Durandal, Roland vanished.

Minato scowled. Traitor.

As Xenovia stored Durandal into whatever invisible vault it came from, the rest focused their gazes back on him.

"That was a very enlightening conversation, Arisato-san." Rias smiled at him. "Thank you for letting us speak to him."

"You could thank me by letting me go without asking anymore questions." He said hopefully.

"Unfortunately, we are a curious bunch, and we still have many questions." Rias shot him down almost immediately, that innocent smile still on his face.

Sighing, he slumped his back in defeat. He didn't like divulging personal information. It made him feel… vulnerable. And while he knew that they couldn't actually force him to talk, he felt like he owed it to them.

He only realised it afterwards after the battle, but in his little confrontation with Kokabiel he had more or less put the weight of the world onto his shoulders, taking responsibility for melding humans and the supernatural world together. The surprising thing was how the burden didn't even feel out of place. Then again, with his powers, he assumed it was natural for him to have determined the fate of a whole world before.

Kokabiel called him a shepherd. He didn't like that term. It implied the people behind him were sheep – mindless and weak-willed beings that followed him because he had treats and a stick. He didn't want people to see him that way. He wanted to be seen as more than a source of power, he wanted to be understood as a person, and more importantly, he missed the concept of having people he could call friends.

He missed SEES, but he doubted he was ever going to see them again, and so he had reluctantly decided that he had to go around this world building bridges instead of burning them. And like how Junpei had once said to him, in that exaggerated sagely tone, "nothing ventured, nothing gained."

He would answer their questions. He would need to show them that he could be trusted, and from that mutual trust he would make sure that he made something out of it.

In the end, it wasn't like you could save the world if people didn't trust you anyway.

"Ask away."

* * *

He was tired. They had literally asked every question that they could think of, and he had responded to them as truthfully as possible. The questioning session had lasted until the dismissal bell rang. But it had not been completely useless. In hearing and responding to their questions, he had come to understand their characters a bit better.

Issei was a pervert. That he already knew, and confirmed when the first thing the boy asked was if he was still a virgin (To the best extent of his memories, the answer was yes.).

Sona was sharp and quick to the point. She asked only questions that had answers that would be relevant and beneficial to her. He did not really like her questions because they tended to be the sort he wanted to avoid answering.

Rias appeared to be very protective. The first she asked was if he meant any harm to Kuoh or anyone in the city. In contrast, Sona had asked who he worked for (he was working for no one, an answer she did not seem pleased with). That was the difference between the two of them, he had learnt. Sona understood people by learning facts about them and then building a unique archetype for every individual. Rias judged them first before deciding whether or not she wanted to continue getting to know them. In other words, Sona drew a mental picture by drawing a rough sketch first, before adding layer after layer of detail. On the other hand, Rias did it like a jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece, understanding and comprehending each characteristic before she moved on.

They were scarily alike in some ways, but utterly different in others. No wonder they always seemed to be in sync.

Asia was an enigma. Sometimes he found her to be daft and naïve. She would ask questions like what other Archangels were hidden in his pockets (his reply had been 'many', leaving her nonplussed). And then sometimes she would ask a seemingly innocent question like, 'if God was alive and found out about this, do you think the Angels would follow you or Him?' (he told her that it depended on the individual angel.) In truth, that question scared him. Immediately, he asked his Personas.

Without hesitation they had said him. Their reasoning had been simple. If there was Persona of God, that Persona would follow him as well. Their answer had scared him more than the initial question.

And then Kiba asked him a very difficult question. "What's the strongest Persona you have?"

Several answers came to mind immediately. Their presences were buried in the deepest recesses of his mind. He knew of their existences, but never thought about them. Many of them were not very pleasant, and frankly speaking, he was certain that their names would never leave his tongue unless he absolutely needed to call on them. Not that he ever intended to, for those beings were simply too chaotic and too powerful to ever leave the Sea.

His reply was simple. "I would tell you if I knew."

Kiba did not look happy with that, but did not press any further.

Ultimately with so many questions, one would inevitably end up venturing into his history, and it had been Akeno that asked the killer question.

"Where did you come from before Kuoh, Arisato-san?" She had said it with an innocently curious look on her face. It was a simple question that was nothing more than a gesture to get to know each other better. She did not expect how black his face would become at it, and instantly looked regretful for asking.

"Port City." He finally said after regaining his composure. He had decided before the session even began that if they asked him about his previous world, he would tell them about it. There was no real harm in doing so. In fact, letting them know was one step closer to finding his way back there. Logically, it should have been easy. But admitting the truth to the teenagers in front of him had been so very difficult because it felt like he was giving a sacred piece of his identity. It felt like a point of no return to him, destroying whatever little childish illusion that this was all just a fabrication.

Like he expected, they looked baffled at the unfamiliar location. From there, everything spilled out. How he watched his parents die right in front of him as a child. How he jumped around the entire country before he ended up at Port City. How he met SEES, the first group of people he could actually call friends. How they lived as students in the day, but used their Personas to protect humanity at night as they climbed Tartarus. And after that all he could remember was waking up in a completely different world with no memories.

He didn't know what happened to his friends. He did not know if they succeeded or not. He didn't even know what happened to himself. These were things that finally sunk into him as he regaled to them his tale, and by the time he was done, the dismissal bell began to ring.

"I think we're done for today," he said before lifting his bag over his shoulder and showing himself out of the Student Council Office. The Devils and the Exorcists made no move to stop him, their shell-shocked faces still locked as they watched his retreating figure.

* * *

"That took a while."

Raynare was waiting for him at the school gate. The walked in sync back to their home in silence.

He stopped. Since when did it become their home? Did Raynare even think of it as a home? Or a prison? He remembered how she was forced to stay with him under Azazel's instructions.

"Is something wrong?" the Fallen girl turned to ask him.

He nodded. "Raynare. Now that Kokabiel's gone… you know don't have to stay with me anymore right? It was only for your protection that Azazel requested that you board with me… but with the threat gone, I won't stop you if you want to leave."

Raynare blinked. Then she laughed. "Is that what's bothering you? Please, if I didn't want to shack up with you, did you think I would have waited for you at the gates? Besides, until you figure out how to get my powers back, I'm afraid you're going to have deal with me. Or if you really want me gone, you could always ask Lucifer to give them back."

Then she walked off, her ponytail swinging in the wind. He smiled. So she'd be staying with him a little longer. He didn't mind.

As he caught up with her, he initiated a conversation with the Persona she mentioned, asking him about the seal that kept her powers inaccessible.

'Oh that? Yea, I could take it off. Or she could come to an epiphany and find meaning in her life and it would come off. Or she could wait for another six to eight weeks and it will wear off anyway.'

The seal was timed?

'It's not supposed to be. It's supposed to draw magic from my existence to keep it consistently powered. But since I only existed in that short time frame when you called for me, unless you manifest me again, the power that keeps the seal up would run out like a battery.'

The rest of the walk home was filled with idle chatter, mainly Raynare telling him all the boring work she did in class, and how they were too easy for a genius like her. He kept quiet, just trying to enjoy her presence.

Six to eight weeks, huh. He would have to make the most of it.

* * *

When he reached the front door, he was surprised to find it unlocked. He was certain he locked it up every morning. Raynare noticed the abnormality as well, and silenced her steps as he quietly swung the door open.

He walked in first, using his body to shield Raynare – he was immortal, she was not.

The answer to his question was sitting on his armchair. At first he thought Rias Gremory had broken into his house because of the hair colour, but he noticed the differences afterwards.

For one, the person in front of him was clearly male, lacking the generous bust that Rias was infamous for. There was a red stubble on his chin, and while his hair was long, it did not quite reach his back the way Rias' did.

Instantly, he knew who the man across him was. They met yesterday after all, and while the signature was muted now compared to yesterday, the insatiable void that formed the essence of the Crimson Lucifer was unmistakeable.

"Sirzechs Lucifer," he greeted coldly. He made no effort to be polite – the man was a trespasser, though that was not enough of a reason to use force.

"Arisato Minato, so glad to finally meet you in person!" The man got up and said cheerfully, "I hope Jormungand is alright. The Jormungand I know is very powerful – a Dragon King in fact. But it seems your pet snake is different – it actually can wrap itself around the world, though its magical core hardly does its size justice. I apologise if I over-reacted."

"He is shaken, but fine." He lied. Shaken was putting it lightly. The World Serpent was positively traumatised. It was like a human only left with a pinky finger. The rest of its body was growing back slowly. He felt a little guilty for using the it as a meat shield. It had nearly died permanently. Sirzechs was correct in the sense that the Persona wasn't even close to strong enough, regardless of its size, to be classified as a Dragon. Jormungand was one of the few exceptions to the the rule Roland had mentioned in the Student Council Room. There were no such things as Dragon Kings in his old world, and Jormungand in Norse mythology had really been nothing except a really long snake with some command of the sea. If he had summoned a more powerful Persona, there certainly would have been much less damage. It was something he had apologised profusely to the bitter serpent for.

Sirzechs gestured for him to sit, which he did at the dining table, with Raynare cautiously following suit behind him. He noticed how Sirzechs waited for them both to be comfortable before sitting back down himself.

"I can't thank you enough for what you did." The man began, "I'm certain that you saved Rias' life. I must apologise again for our first encounter. Rias means the world to me, and the very notion that she was in danger and that I could not protect her drove me over the edge. When I saw Kuoh in ruins… I assumed the worst and let my rage overcome me, and that led me to see everyone as a threat. I promise you I am not like that in real life."

The man sounded sincere, but yesterday's confrontation with him was still cleanly etched into his mind. He doubted he could ever shake out the image of the Crimson Lucifer devouring Jormungand as though the World Serpent was a string of spaghetti.

"What Kokabiel was doing was wrong," he finally said. "Though I hope I managed to knock some sense into him."

At that, Sirzechs frowned. "Kokabiel. The one that got away. Thanks to you."

Was this why the Leader of the Devils had come? To vent his grievances that the subject of his rage had vanished? "Are you upset that I helped him escape?"

Sirzechs shrugged. "Not anymore. Cocytus is a very sad place, and while I would rather have been the one to deal out the punishment, Azazel can be very harsh when he wants to."

So this was what Azazel had been talking about. And while he suspected the Governor-General of the Grigori to be in a more forgiving mood, he could not say the same for Sirzechs. More and more likely he was prepared for the outcome that Kokabiel was not as incarcerated as Azazel had led Sirzechs to believe.

"So what brings you here?" He finally decided to dive into the crux of the issue. Why had Sirzechs Lucifer broken into his home?

"I wanted to meet you." Sirzechs replied cheerfully. "My sister's told me a lot about you. You're quite the enigma."

"So I've been told," he said dryly. He had an inkling of what was going to come next.

"I need your help."

There it was.

He decided not to beat around the bush. "What for?"

"Rias. I need you to help Rias."

His sister? Then again, that made more sense. He doubted there were few problems that the Crimson Lucifer could not handle by himself. His sister, however, was a different story.

"What's wrong with Rias?" he asked.

"She's getting married."

"Um… congratulations?" He probed when Sirzechs offered no follow-up to the previous statement.

"I only wish," he sighed, "she's getting married to Riser Phenex, another Pillar heir."

"Oh. And I'm assuming the marriage is a sham?"

Sirzechs nodded. "That is correct. They were pledged to each other even before they were born. They got along fine as children but… Riser's grown into quite a douchebag."

He blinked. He did not expect someone like Sirzechs Lucifer to use such colloquial language. But before he could respond, the man began to rant. It seemed like the earlier slur was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I mean, character aside, the boy has my sister, my beautiful Rias as his future wife, but do you know what he does? He goes and gains a whole peerage of attractive women to become his harem. As if Rias isn't good enough for him!"

He turned to Raynare, who was stirring a finger next to her head and mouthing 'crazy' to him. He felt inclined to agree.

Sirzechs didn't appear to notice, too caught up in his tirade. "If anything, Rias is too good for him! I mean she's beautiful and talented, and she's so charming and kind! Anybody who doesn't see that clearly doesn't deserve her!"

"I think I get the picture," he said while trying to maintain a straight face.

"So you'll help?" asked Sirzechs eagerly.

"Does Rias want the marriage?" he countered. So far, he'd only heard Sirzechs' stand, but the bride-to-be's position on the marriage was yet to be heard.

Sirzechs scoffed. "Married to Riser? Of course she doesn't. In fact, she went so far to put her Peerage on the line. She's taking part in a Rating Game, her Peerage against his. She wins, the marriage is off. If Riser wins, the marriage goes on but except this time, her Peerage becomes the property of Riser as well."

His eyes widened. That was a very reckless thing for Rias to do, betting with the lives of her subordinates. Sirzechs noticed. "That's how desperate she is to back out of it. She'd do anything to annul the marriage, so when Riser proposed the Rating Game, she accepted immediately."

He nodded in agreement. Freedom of choice was a very precious thing and there was no length people would go to reclaim it once lost, even if it meant sacrificing that of other's.

"You want me to fight in this… Rating Game?" He asked uncomfortably. Even so, this was not his fight. It would not be fair – it would be akin to Rias to hiring a mercenary to fight in her place. This was a clash of wills, Rias' against Riser's and his presence there would only disrupt what was supposed to be a very idealistic fight.

"What?" Even Sirzechs seemed confused. "Of course not. Only Peerage members are allowed to fight. Though," he began to consider the possibility, "if you are willing to shed your humanity and join her Peerage, I would not mind. How about it, Arisato Minato, would you like to become a Devil?"

He thought about what he knew of them. "You mean, I could get wings and magical powers?"

"Not just that," Sirzechs waggled his eyebrows, "you would be able to understand and speak every language on Earth."

That was news to him. "Don't you even dare," Raynare growled next to him.

Of course he wouldn't do it. He could get wings whenever he wanted and he could wield the magic of all his Personas. And he supposed his Personas would be able to read, write and speak the language of whatever culture and civilisation they were born from. But he pretended to deliberate on it some more just to amuse Raynare.

"I have to refuse." He finally said, taking note of Raynare's relieved face.

"Oh well, it was never my intention," chuckled Sirzechs, "though I suppose it would have made for a very nice engagement present."

"So what is it you want me to do?"

There was a glint in Sirzechs eye. "I want you to train them."

There were a thousand reactions in his mind.

Ironically enough, the first thing to come out his mouth was the least true and the least relevant.

"I'm not qualified," he quickly said.

Sirzechs gave him a flat stare. Even Raynare rolled her eyes.

"That won't be an issue," Sirzechs smiled a moment later, "since there aren't any required qualifications to speak of to be a magic coach. And if you're still lacking in confidence, I'm fairly certain that there are a few of your… what did Rias call them… 'Personas' that are up to the task."

Word travelled fast in the supernatural apparently, though he hadn't exactly instructed Rias and the others to keep what he told them secret back in the Student Council Room. Judging by how Sirzechs had yet to address it, he assumed Rias hadn't told him about the whole 'different world' thing, a reprieve he was grateful for.

"Why me?" he asked, "there must be other Devils that are more familiar with both Rias and Riser."

"Politics. Whoever helps Rias will give the Phenexes a reason to dislike them. And, as a Satan, I'm not allowed to interfere. On paper, of course, but already what I'm doing now is kind of pushing it a little. Frankly speaking, you're the only non-Devil I trust my sister with. After all, you've already saved her once before."

He supposed it was a touching gesture.

"You can consider it payment for getting her," Sirzechs pointed towards Raynare, "enrolled in Kuoh with you."

He frowned. "I thought I paid that debt when I saved your sister's life."

"Now you know why you don't make deals with the Devil then," Sirzechs laughed, "we charge high interest."

He smiled a little. It didn't matter and Sirzechs knew it. He would lend his assistance to Rias. She had been a nice host in school, and the least he could do for her was to help her regain her independence.

"When is the wedding?" He asked.

"In about a month's time."

"We have school. When will we train?"

Sirzechs gave him a big smile. "Leave all the details to me. Don't worry Arisato-san, I never joke when it comes to my sister. Everything will be taken care of. And thank you for doing this."

And then a magic circle on the floor transported the Lucifer away.

* * *

It wasn't much of a secret that the Occult Research Club had permission to skive off school for two weeks in their upcoming research trip. In fact, the giant poster in the central hallway guaranteed that almost everyone in the school population knew about it.

 _'Interested members of the student body are invited as well!'_

Naturally, with people like the Two Great Onee-samas, the Prince of Kuoh, and the school mascot (Toujou Koneko, apparently. He still didn't understand how the soft-spoken girl gained that title) going on the trip, almost everyone had applied to be included.

Arisato Minato naturally had not.

Which was why he was surprised when he found out that he had been selected, along with 'Amano Yuuma'.

"This is great, Arisato-san!" Issei had whooped in joy when their teacher announced the news, "we'll be going on a trip together!" Then to Raynare, he said in a much more cold tone, "don't bother coming, I'm pretty sure your name was a typo."

He ignored the subsequent verbal war between Issei and Raynare. He also ignored the looks of envy he was receiving from the rest of the population. All he could think of was his conversation with Sirzechs Lucifer less than a week ago. So this was what he meant when he said that he would take care of the details.

It was a good plan, admittedly. They were mostly likely going to be isolated from society, and that would let them train all-out. But it was going to be such a hassle. He was going to need to pack and the sheer amount of catching up he was going to need to do with his homework was going to be a pain. He still had the ORC's standing invitation to drop by the clubhouse any time he wanted. He was going to make use of it after school. For now though, he supposed he had some time to plan a training curriculum.

He and Raynare followed Issei to the old school building after school. He was surprised to see that the two Exorcists were there as well.

There was a little bit of an awkward silence amongst them. Except for Issei, he hadn't talked to any of them since that day in the Student Council Room. Thankfully, the brown-haired boy seemed not to care too much, only asking him if the girls there were 'hotter' than here.

"We have new orders from the Church to stay in Kuoh. Gremory-san has been kind enough to provide us with temporary accommodation until we find a more permanent headquarters," Xenovia explained, trying to steer the conversation away from the worm-can.

"On a completely unrelated note," Irina asked sweetly, "do you know if any of your neighbours are moving out or if there are any empty lodgings near your home available for rent?"

"That doesn't sound suspicious at all," Raynare muttered under her breath sarcastically.

"They've requested to follow us on the training trip," added Rias, "in exchange for cooking for us and assisting in other matters. I saw no reason to say no. By the way Arisato-kun, I must give you my most heartfelt thanks for agreeing to assist us. You have no idea how much it means to me that you are willing to lend us your aid."

"It's no problem," he smiled at her. Hearing Rias thank him only confirmed that what he was doing was the right thing. "I like to believe that everyone deserves to marry a person they love."

She gave him a pained expression. "I agree."

Before they could continue the conversation, a yellow magic circle illuminated to life on the floor. He assumed that someone was going to magically appear, and judging from the grimaces and the scowls from the people present, the 'someone' was not particularly well-liked.

"Speak of the Devil," Issei all but growled out. "Here comes that Fried Chicken again."

He was confused by that remark. But instead of clarifying with Issei, he chose to wait another few moments for the visitor to materialise.

Or rather, visitors.

It surprised him when an entourage appeared instead. If he had to describe it, he would call it a 'gaggle' of girls with their arms draped over a lone male teenager. He assumed it was a whole Peerage, and judging from the dynamic he was looking at, the lone male was the King. The girls were as diverse as they were numerous. He counted fifteen of them in total, and there were two pairs of twins. Most of them seemed humanoid, though he noticed a pair of the twins were Nekomata.

So it could be done, building a harem. He was surprised that Issei was glowering at the person. Given his friend's life goals, he would have thought Issei would worship the very ground the newcomer walked on.

"Riser," Rias greeted politely, but he could hear the strain in her voice. So this was her fiancé?

Some girls would count themselves lucky. The man was fit. His shirt, not fully buttoned up, revealed well-defined pectorals. He sported a handsome face, with long blond hair that parted in the middle. His dark blue eyes swept the room, lingering on him for a moment longer than the rest.

"Rias," his voice was deep, booming with authority, and he walked straight up to face the crimson-haired girl, "it is so nice to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same." She rolled her eyes. "Here to gloat that," she made air-quotes in the air, "'my body will be yours' again in two weeks time?"

"Ah. So you do remember. I was getting worried, you haven't been replying to my messages at all!" Riser laughed.

"I have been… busy."

"Oh yes, I heard there was a little Fallen scuffle here. It looks like everything's fine now. Couldn't have been that big of a problem, could it? The details are tightly held, but if you fixed it without calling for help, it shouldn't have been too major, right?"

Raynare scoffed behind him, mirroring everyone's thoughts. Scuffle? Not too major? The city had been _levelled_. There were _thirty thousand Fallen_. Though if no one had seen it fit to inform Riser, he wouldn't be the one to do so.

The little action attracted the attention of Riser, who whistled at Raynare. "I assume you'll tell me all about it on the day of our wedding. But for now, I noticed you have some new additions to your Peerage." He made a little bow, "as your future master, I think it's only fair to introduce myself. I am Riser Phenex, Third Heir of the Phenex Clan."

So this was what Sirzechs meant by douchebag. One by one, Riser inspected them. At Irina and Xenovia he raised an eyebrow. "Exorcists? Hmmm… I'm fairly certain that's not allowed, but what the heck, it's always good to add the holy-nun type." Then Riser stopped at him and frowned. "You're a little bit flat, aren't you? The tomboy-type perhaps?"

His lips twitched. He didn't consider himself particularly manly or masculine, but he was fairly certain nobody had confused him as a girl before. But before he could refute that claim, Rias cut in.

"They're not Peerage members. They're my friends. And they'll be helping us train to beat you in the Rating Game."

He looked at Rias expectantly.

"Oh," she blushed slightly and coughed into her hands, "and that's Arisato-san. He's a boy."

Riser was visibly repulsed. "Oh. Sorry about that."

"It's… fine." He said grudgingly. He was initially going to say 'understandable', but that would be doing more harm than good he realised.

"But," Riser's face looked more serious now, "they're all human. And I don't detect much magic coming from them at all. And you know that the Holy Arts and Holy Weapons are barred in Rating Games right?" He said, looking at the Exorcists in particular.

He was starting to realise that Riser was a fairly condescending and dismissive character. No wonder Sirzechs didn't like him. And judging from his Peerage and his earlier comments, he was probably a pervert as well, one that could give Issei a run for his money.

"He thinks I'm human?" Raynare whispered behind him, both horror and anger edging out of her voice.

"Not now. If he finds out that you're a Fallen it might lead to more trouble."

She scowled, but immediately drew his attention to Riser, who was now stalking his way over.

"You," the blond teen spoke, "how do you intend to train Rias? I'd like to think that we're both taking this Rating Game very seriously, but I'm actually feeling insulted by what I'm seeing so far."

"Um…" he was being put in a spot. He didn't like that very much. "Strategy?"

"Strategy? What does a human know about Rating Game Strategy?" Riser asked, more suspicious than curious.

"I know how to play chess." Was his feeble response.

He felt the attack come before he saw it. A small displacement in the air, and a fist was right in his face.

"Riser, no!" Rias shouted. He felt slightly hurt, did she think he couldn't defend himself? After all that she'd seen?

Instantly, a Persona's power flooded through his body. Calling upon the Hindu God Ganesha was slightly overkill just to stop a punch, but the elephant-headed deity had been the first to volunteer.

With a resounding bang, his palm caught Riser's fist. There had been so much force in that punch that a miniature shockwave erupted and he noticed that some of Riser's hair had been blown slightly back from it. If he were an ordinary human and gotten hit, he would definitely be unconscious right now. At the very least.

Riser grinned. "Interesting." Then his hand suddenly began to feel very hot, and he realised that it was on fire. Or rather, Riser's hand was now coated with orange flames that were burning his hand. He increased the intensity of Ganesha's power until the fire was put out with a hiss and steam rose from where he and Riser was connected.

As his hands returned to their healthy pink colour, Riser disengaged. There was a different look in his eyes now. Not yet threatened, but the callous contempt was gone, replaced with acknowledgement.

"Good. That's the very least I expect from someone that will be training my future wife. Come now girls, we're leaving." Throwing a wave to Rias behind him as he regrouped with his Peerage, Riser gave them one last smirk. "Don't forget Rias, two weeks. Then you're mine."

And then they vanished into another magic circle.

The atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed with Riser's exit.

"I hate him already." Raynare said to no one in particular.

It was the first time Akeno offered a sincere smile at her. "He does have that kind of effect on people, doesn't he? I've always wondered what it is about him that makes his Peerage seem so fond of him."

"I bet he drugged them." Issei snorted.

"Or maybe," Akeno said sultry into Issei's ear, "he's just that good in bed."

Issei blushed deep red. Then he shook his head. "Wait, I'm a guy! Why would I care?"

While he would acknowledge that he didn't have a good first impression of Riser, he would also admit that the man seemed almost charismatic in some ways. There was a self-assurance within him that crossed into arrogance, but not so much until it made him blind. He would hold his judgement and reservation of Riser Phenex until further interaction.

For now though, he needed to teach the people in this room how to beat him. Riser was strong. Of course, he wasn't putting himself in the equation. His Universe and Wildcard abilities were so broken and overpowered it wasn't even funny. But Rias' Peerage was outnumbered, and he had a suspicion that this was their first actual Rating Game, a limitation that Riser did not share.

"Um, Arisato-san. Is what you said true?" Rias asked hesitantly. "Are you only going to teach us strategy?"

Oh right, he had said that. But he had made it up on the spot, and he shook his head to Rias' relief. "Not only strategy. But I will require every single piece of information on him that you have, as well as that of his Peerage. In particular, I will need as detailed a breakdown as possible on their abilities and powers, as well as their tactics. Oh, and yours too. As well as a terrain of the training ground and the actual Rating Game."

To his surprise, Kiba pulled out a thick file from his bag and slammed it onto the coffee table with a _thump_.

"Done."

He smiled. Any doubt on the Peerage's attitude towards training was instantly erased.

* * *

Rias looked at the map in her hands. Her region was highlighted in red. Given the nature of her powers, it was natural she'd been accorded a large amount of land. But it still paled in comparison to what Issei had received. His had been the largest – half of the whole mountain range that was Gremory property – and while Rias' allocated plot was second, it was puny compared to what Issei got.

 _"He needs it the most. There will be much destruction. Do not worry though, I will draw you a new map when we are done with this."_

That was what Minato had said. That had not comforted her at all. And what was worse was that Issei and Asia were sharing the same training ground.

 _"Asia. You wish to improve on your healing skills, right?"_

 _The blond girl had nodded her head excitedly._

 _"Then you will train with Issei. He will need much healing. In fact, he will most probably die if you do not do your job. Rest assured though, I should be able to revive him if I act quick enough."_

 _This time when she nodded, it was slow and nervous._

She shuddered. Just what kind of training was poor Issei going to go through?

She had asked her brother for hints. He told her that Minato had not shared the training programme with him, only that they will be trained by his Personas.

The thought both worried and excited her. His Personas were literal legends given form, and she could learn much from them. But she was worried that she would not be able to meet their expectations.

The moment her foot crossed over the invisible threshold that was her training ground she froze. A suffocating aura permeated throughout the entire place, and every breath required more and more effort on her part.

A fine red mist began to cloud her vision, until all she could see was a never-ending crimson wall.

Slowly, she looked behind, where the clean and pure land from where she came from stared back at her with open arms, almost inviting her.

 _"You can still leave."_

A hoarse voice whispered into her ear.

A shiver ran down her spine with those words. She could. She could still walk out of here and she wouldn't have to endure this horrifying miasma of malice around her.

 _"That is right. If you leave now, you can be safe. You can live a long and safe life married to Riser."_

With those words, every single notion of escaping was swept out of her mind.

"No." She murmured, and then louder, she screamed defiantly, "NO! I will fight! I won't let others dictate my fate!"

There was silence for a moment.

Then everything crashed onto her shoulders. A presence so strong and overbearing, so heavy and demanding, so full of authority and power swept over her entire body with the force of a tidal wave. Her knees buckled, and she found herself kneeling with sweat pouring out of her skin in buckets and her lungs gasping for air.

 _"You can say as many courageous words as you want. Your actions tell me your resolve."_

She wouldn't let this continue. With every muscle fibre in her body, she forced herself up. When her legs weren't strong enough, she used her hands to push on her thighs to straighten her back. When that was done, she took a deep breath.

"My name is Rias Gremory, and I won't let others dictate my fate!" She repeated even louder than the last time, pouring every single bit of her soul into the yell.

The harsh atmosphere did not let up. But she did not back down either.

 _"That was your first lesson. We will work on it it some more later."_

That was a lesson? What was she supposed to learn?

 _"Tch. It is a very important lesson."_ She balked. Could he read her mind? If he could, he did not respond to the silent question.

 _"I taught you to choose. In life, there is only fight or flight. You will always be forced to pick one. Both have their merits. But when you are faced with a power far greater than your own, fleeing is always the default reaction. You must learn to ignore the intimidation and fear, to see past the unconquerable obstacle. You must learn to choose between fight or flight without giving in to your instincts. Even when you choose flight, it is because you value your life, which is never wrong. But some things are worth dying for and fleeing at the wrong moment only leads to a life of despair and regret."_

Only when the last word was uttered did the smothering atmosphere rescind itself. Fresh air poured into her lungs and Rias Gremory allowed her muscles to relax. The entity was right. She had considered running away. How could she? She had put her Peerage at risk, and now she was backing out? She suddenly felt very, very ashamed of herself.

"Thank you," she muttered quietly.

There was a throaty chuckle. _"You shouldn't be thanking me so early."_

The suffocating aura returned, except it all concentrated itself on a single spot instead of the whole area. In front of her, born from nothing but malice and acrimony, a silhouette began to form.

She could not stop herself from gasping.

It was pitch black human body, coated with a thin crimson veil of energy. Energy she was more than familiar with. Two red circles glowed where its eyes were supposed to be, and there were no other features besides it.

When it spoke, no mouth opened.

 **"I was once a King."**

Rias knew exactly what she was feeling. In her hand, an orb made from the Power of Destruction burst to life.

It was the exact same shade of red as the aura that wrapped around the Persona. For a moment, she saw her brother. But they were different. When her brother took this form, there was no feeling at all. But the Persona in front of her exuded the feeling of desolation and hopelessness. She could not tell which was worse, or who was stronger.

And that worried her greatly.

 **"I was once supreme.**

 **Then he came.**

 **He took everything from me.**

 **My land, my subject, my Kingdom.**

 **And I loathed him for it.**

 **But I despised myself even more, so much so that I took my own life afterwards.**

 **Because I chose flight when I should have fought.**

 **I bowed my head when I should have held it high in defiance.**

 **That was extent of his power, to make a King kneel before him.**

 **Now my name is subservient to his, when it was once the other way around.**

 **I will not let you make the same mistake.**

 **You might not carry my name, but my blood and power flows through your veins.**

 **You will prove yourself worthy of it.**

 **I am Bael, the one who came before Satan.**

 **And I will teach you how to fight like a King."**

There was only one thought in Rias' mind, even as she struggled to process whatever the Persona had just said.

Arisato Minato said that Issei's training would be leagues above the rest.

She gulped.

She had Bael.

 _The_ Bael. The first one, who was probably Zekram Bael's father or even grandfather.

So who in the world was training Issei?

* * *

 **A/N: I know exactly what you guys are going to say. You're going to say I'm playing favourites with Rias. No I'm not. I have a plan. He trains Rias here, and he'll help Sona in the Young Devil's meet, which is quite a long while away, but it will come. Anyway, the next 2 chapters you probably won't be seeing much of Minato. It'll mainly be interactions between his Personas and the cast, and we'll really be focusing on the characterisation of the Devils and Exorcists, and maybe Raynare, which I realised I've neglected quite a bit.**

 **Don't forget to fav, follow, review or PM! I really appreciate it! And don't forget to check out my new story the White Prince!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: heya guys! Welcome to chapter 14! Like I mentioned earlier, I'll be using the Wedding Arc less of a show-off arc and more of a character development one. I feel that I've neglected alot of character development in the previous chapter, which is something I'd like to address. Of course, it won't be just the Devils. The Exorcists, and some other characters will be featured as well. I'd like Minato to have his own pseudo-faction, and from the reviews, so do you guys. Unfortunately, that means he'll need to have followers. Which means we'll need to develop them as human beings instead of sheep. That being said, alot of you guys don't seem to like how Minato is helping Rias.**

 **I don't play Persona. Nor have I watched DxD. But I think I've read enough to know that building Social Links is pretty important to Minato's powers, no? And while he can, I don't think Minato wants to be gallivanting around the world blasting random people to oblivion. He just doesn't seem to strike me as that kind of guy. I wouldn't call him an spineless altruist, but I'd like to think Minato would help someone when he can, even if it's a stranger. I think the same can be said for DxD. Sirzechs is strong, but I think you can tell he's the type that relies more on his own than others. Which is why asking Minato for help is actually a pretty big leap for him. Maybe it's my fault that I didn't elaborate that enough the last chapter, but I've added some of it here.**

 **Those of you that say he can beat Sirzechs and doesn't need to listen to him. You're right. He can. But why would he want to? If the kind of Minato you like is someone who goes around picking fights just because he can, then I don't think this story is for you. I think Minato is fully aware of his strength, but he won't let it go to his head. Because to him, power is completely irrelevant to his character.**

 **With that settled, please enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 14:**

He wasn't completely stupid, but that didn't make him a strategist either. He had had only a few days to read the material Kiba had prepared. Kiba was a very thorough person, and Zhu Ge Liang was delighted at the sheer amount information he had at his disposal. The fabled Chinese tactician had been eager to materialise and devoured the information with gusto in his home while he attended school.

He had to admit, he was impressed. Kiba did not miss a thing. In it, there were CDs depicting some of Riser's old fights. There were detailed profiles of Riser's and Rias' Peerage, including perceived weaknesses and their secrets. That last part made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. He was still closer to acquaintance than friend, yet they trusted him enough to tell him their vulnerabilities (not that he would need them if he was ever going to fight them). Who knew Akeno was part-Fallen Angel? And that Koneko and Kiba had such a dark past?

By the time they were due for the trip, Zhu Ge Liang had already allocated Personas to each and every single one of them, as well as lesson plans and strategies to use against Riser. He had balked when he saw who was to be training Issei.

' _Are you sure?'_ He had asked the man.

' _It demanded him. I could not say no.'_ Zhu Ge Liang responded solemnly.

He had bitten his lips until they bled, the taste of blood on his tongue shaking him out of his contemplation. This Persona was as temperamental as they could get, and even he might not be spared from its wrath should its very thin patience wear out.

He would grant the entity its request. But he would take responsibility for it, and stand by Issei's side to ensure the worst did not happen.

And so, with him supervising Issei and Asia's continuous healing of him, the first day passed by fairly quickly, luckily with no casualties.

He had returned to the cabin for dinner. He was the last one to arrive. The rest were already seated, mindlessly putting food in their mouths and chewing subconsciously. Their expressions and their appearances told him all that he needed to know.

They were exhausted. They had freshened up and changed their clothes, but the symptoms of fatigue were all too clear. Their hands were shaking as they brought their chopsticks to their mouths, and their teeth lacked the strength to masticate properly, causing the occasional grain of rice to drip down their mouths. They had no energy to talk, and they merely sent him a look when they saw him enter.

Except Koneko. She was entirely focused on her food. He did not know where the Nekomata put all of it.

But it was their expressions that unsettled him the most. They were ashen, pale, and they kept giving him nervous looks, as if it had finally dawned into them that they were sitting next to an existential impossibility.

He could see Raynare, Xenovia and Irina all standing in the kitchen in their aprons, sweaty from all the cooking they had done (and probably the damage control as well, since Raynare had been involved). They looked very unsure of themselves, probably from seeing the Gremory Party in such a state.

His Personas were demanding, both in body and in mind. They were legends, and a weak constitution and lack of fortitude was not something they tolerated. The teenagers in front of him were still a long way coming before they could be deemed as 'satisfactory'.

He sat down and began to eat. He could tell which part Raynare was in charge of. The burnt meat and vegetables were a tell-tale sign. The awkward silence was so thick that he was certain he could use his knife to cut it.

Eventually, Irina had enough.

"Where's Issei?" She asked, probably for everyone's sake as well as for her own. If there was anyone that could break the stone-cold silence, it was him.

"His training has left him… incapacitated. I will bring him his dinner after this," he said.

"Oh… and Asia?" Irina asked, trying to hide her disappointment.

"I will bring her dinner as well. She is still trying to re-grow Issei's legs," he said.

There was a clattering sound as everybody dropped their utensils and stared at him, jaws wide open to reveal half-chewed meals.

"Twilight Healing can't regenerate amputated limbs," Akeno quickly said.

"No, it can't," he agreed. "But that does not mean Asia cannot. Magic is very useful like that."

They looked at him thoughtfully after he said those words. "Are you sure she can do it?" Akeno asked.

He smiled, "she has very good teachers. Just like the rest of you."

They immediately broke eye contact, finding their food interesting again. Perhaps it was too soon to mention the Personas. Some of them were not very pleasant.

"His legs," Rias said suddenly, her voice full of concern, "what happened?"

He sipped his soup calmly. "You mean the first time? Or this most recent one?"

Rias blinked. "How many times has he lost his legs?" she asked incredulously.

"Seven, if you count them individually."

Her eyes widened, and she looked as if she was going to lash out. But then she seemed to realise something and she relaxed. Minato supposed there was a certain threshold number where losing one's limbs became a triviality.

"And I thought I drew the short straw," she mumbled softly, but not so soft he could not hear.

"Um…" Irina asked shakily. "Will Issei-kun be alright? I mean… he's going to be fine after all this right?"

He looked around the table. He wondered if _anyone_ would emerge unscathed by the time the trip was over. They were teenagers, he reminded himself and strangely enough, he did not place himself under the same banner as them despite being their peer.

"Hopefully," he said to the girl. He honestly wondered why the two Exorcists were here. Was it normal for people from their organisation to hang around their supposedly sworn enemies?

He swallowed the last of his rice, and took the dinners Xenovia had wrapped up while they were talking. "I'm going back," he said before he left.

"See ya."

Only Raynare responded.

He walked for a good ten minutes before stopping, making sure none of the others had followed him.

"Does Sirzechs not trust me?" he asked aloud to the treetops that blocked the night sky.

"Sirzechs doesn't trust anybody," came the reply.

There was a rustling of leaves and all of a sudden there was a man in front of him.

"I thought I hid myself fairly well." The man was very clearly Japanese. Besides the accent he could only describe as traditional, the man was dressed in historical Japanese attire as well. He focused on the lone sword that hung from the man's waist.

"You did. I only noticed your presence when I reached the cabin."

The man smiled weakly. "That's because I wasn't following you until you left the cabin."

He raised an eyebrow. "Then perhaps you didn't hide yourself very well," he conceded. "Who were you watching before this?"

"Kiba."

He put the pieces together. The sword. The hakama and the haori. "Souji Okita," he said. He remembered Zhu Ge Liang saying that Rias' Knight had been trained by the legendary leader of the Shinsengumi for a short while.

The swordsman bowed. "Nice to meet you, Arisato Minato. I am Sirzechs' Knight"

He nodded his head in return. Bowing had never really been his thing. They were kind of tiring, and his long hair tended to get in his eyes.

"Here to evaluate me?" he asked.

Okita nodded. "My King does not give out his trust easily. Even more so when it involves his sister. The fact that he himself is not here is already quite surprising to me."

He frowned. "He asked me for help, but still does not trust me completely when I accepted without complaint?"

Okita smiled. "Well, that's the thing. Sirzechs isn't really used to the idea of goodwill. He's bartered and fought his way to the top. Nothing ever truly fell on his lap. That's the Devil way. To save his sister, he was prepared to give you anything. Riches, titles, forbidden knowledge – anything he could give you, he would have. But you said yes without even asking for anything. That worried him, because then he doesn't know what your motive is. It would have relieved him far more if you had said you wanted the title of Satan in return."

"But I don't," he said.

"It was an example."

"As in I don't want anything in return at all," he clarified.

"Yea, you see… when you say stuff like that, even _I_ get suspicious. You've got to be after something. Don't you have wants, or like… desires? Even if it's something ridiculous, you've got to have something driving you to do what you do. You don't become strong if you have no purpose."

"This _is_ my purpose. I made a promise to Kokabel that I'd fix the supernatural and humanity. This is a good place to start out as any. Saving a girl from an arranged marriage she doesn't want. Work on the little things first. Help a girl keep her individual liberties. Change mindsets. Then we can talk about coexistence. Every little bit matters. It doesn't matter to me if you're a Devil or an Angel, or whatever. In the end, our souls aren't any different."

Okita gave him a funny look. "You're a weird kid. You don't look older than twenty, yet the way you talk lacks the naivety most youths have when they're spewing the whole 'save-the-world' monologue."

He frowned. "I don't intend to save the world. I just want it to be a little better than it currently is."

"And you think you can do it all by yourself? Many have tried, just as many have failed."

"I never said I was alone."

"Right," Okita nodded in understanding, "your Personas. You seem to have a near-limitless supply of them. It makes me wonder if there's a version of me inside," the man chuckled, but stopped when he saw the very serious expression on his face.

"Would you like to meet him?"

"Really? You mean there's a Okita Souji Persona?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I think I would like to speak with him."

In the time it took for Okita to blink, the Persona had announced his arrival, appearing in a swirl of leaves. It was like staring into a mirror. Their appearances were identical, down to the way they tied their hair and how they rested one hand on their swords. He wished the Persona had not chosen to appear identical to his real counterpart – it made things very confusing.

For a while, Okita remained silent, giving his twin a very detailed once-over as he circled him.

"You can't use magic," he concluded.

"No, I cannot. There was never any mention of magic in the myths and so it is not one of my abilities. However," the Persona grinned, "I am certain my swordsmanship is at the very least equal to yours."

"Maybe. But I'm in no mood to fight. I just wanted to meet you."

"You have questions."

Okita nodded. "You are the idolized version of me. The one that people venerate, the one they pay respect to on that one day in summer when they open my grave. The master swordsman, the fair law-keeper. That was once me, but no longer. Now it is you."

"Yes." The Persona did not mince his words. People changed, far quicker than notions and perceptions.

"Do you think I did the right thing? Turning into a Devil? Selling my soul to the Lucifer himself to live a little longer?"

"Our soul was never ours to begin with. We swore loyalty oaths to the Shogun to serve him with our lives, something we both accomplished till the illness robbed us of our warrior's death. And with that dying breath, our contract with the Shogun expired. What happened next was your choice, and yours alone."

Okita scratched his chin. "Huh. I already knew that much. But do you think it was right? We believed in different gods, and it was Lady Amaterasu who was supposed to decide our fate after our deaths. Yet I ran with away with the Devil afterwards."

"You wanted a warrior's death, one you will certainly receive as the Knight of a Satan . I think Lady Amaterasu would not mind if you chose to live a second life before turning yourself over to her."

"Really?"

"I could ask you for her. Or better yet, you could ask the boy to summon her to join the discussion."

Okita visibly paled. "That would not be necessary," the ex-leader of the Shinsengumi said.

Minato turned to face the man. "You once trained Kiba. What do you think of him?"

Okita adopted a thoughtful expression. "He's talented. Very talented. But the demons of the past will hold him back. They cloud his judgement and limit his potential and drive. Is that not why you chose that particular group of Personas as his teachers?"

He nodded. Kiba's training would be different in nature from the rest. The boy's technique was already near its limit, and according to Zhu Ge Liang, the barrier was psychological. He did not like what Zhu Ge Liang had planned for him. If Issei's regime was the ultimate test of the body, then Kiba's would be the same for the heart and mind.

Within the next day of two, Kiba's lessons would all be mental in nature.

"Your training methods are quite extreme, from what little I have seen so far. They are still children, so why do you push them so hard?"

It was not him that replied, but his Persona. The Persona Okita drew his blade, letting the moonlight reflect off its silver edge. "The hottest flames and the mightiest blows are needed to forge the strongest and sharpest of blades. The same applies to people, and the boy in front of you went through the deepest pits of Hell itself to reach where he is today. His lessons are excruciating because he knows no other ways."

He shot Okita a look. The Persona immediately bowed in apology.

"We are leaving," he declared to Okita.

"One final word of caution," the Persona was already beginning to fade, everything waist-down no longer visible, "I advise you not to follow us any further. The Persona we are going to visit does not take kindly to visitors. And he will know of your presence and obliterate you before you even have time to draw your sword."

On that ominous note, Persona-Okita vanished and Minato turned his back to Sirzechs' Knight and sauntered off into the woods.

Okita Souji sighed.

"Just what exactly did you get me involved in this time, Sirzechs?"

* * *

"So… when are you going to tell Minato that you're new job is to spy on him?" Raynare asked abruptly.

Xenovia dropped the plate she was washing and it shattered into several pieces in the basin.

Irina made an _'eep'_ sound and quickly crossed her hands in front of her.

"Wha-what are you talking about, Raynare-san? We're just here to help them out! There's no spy-spying involved at all!" She spluttered out, and Xenovia nodded her head next to her vehemently.

"Really," she asked, unamused. At their insistent nods, she pulled out a notebook from her back. A notebook, Irina noted, was supposed to be in her pocket. "Where did you get that?" she demanded.

"Found it," said Raynare, before flipping it open and reading it aloud. "Twenty hundred hours. Subject has returned from training alone. No sign of Hyoudou Issei or Asia Argento who followed him. Appears to be in pristine condition. Subjected has stated that the former has suffered severe injuries in the training process and the latter is currently in charge of healing him. No time to gather information on his 'Personas', and the Devils seem too upset and exhausted to share. Will attempt to garner more data tomorrow."

"So… I like your diary." Raynare smirked at their reddening faces.

"Um… can I have that back? It's an invasion of privacy."

"Yea, it sure is. Just not your privacy."

They sighed in defeat. "Are you going to tell him?" they asked.

"No. Why would I?"

They looked up in surprise. "You won't? Why not?"

"Because it's none of my business? But I'm just warning you in advance. You should tell him these kinds of things upfront. He won't mind. But he definitely won't like it if he thinks that you're trying to hide things from him that could be dangerous in the future."

They looked at each other. "We will think about it. And we're sorry Raynare-san. As his girlfriend, we understand our actions may have encroached on your personal space as well."

Raynare stared at them for a very long time. She shook her head and then very crassly began to clean both ears with her fingers.

"I'm going to need you to say that again, Xenovia. I don't think I heard you quite right."

The blue-haired girl cleared her throat, repeating much slower than before, "I said, we apologise that we were spying on him. As his girlfriend-"

"STOP!" Raynare held out a hand, stopping her mid-speech. " _Where in God's ass did you pull that out from_?"

They looked at each other again, this time more confused than contemplative.

"Are… you not his romantic partner? He seems to care for you a lot, and the two of you are always attached at the hip." Xenovia asked.

"NO!" She shouted, and immediately lowered her voice when she remembered that the others had already retired to their rooms, "I'm not _his girlfriend_."

"Then… why are you always hanging around him? He of all people should know it's not safe to involve a regular human in the affairs of the supernatural. Shouldn't you-" They stopped when they saw her upset face. "Um…" ventured Irina, "did I say something wrong again?"

"I'm not _human_ ," said Raynare through gritted teeth, "I'm a Fallen."

They blinked at her. Then as if she was an exhibit, they approached her, studying her body with curious eyes and poking her, and at one point Xenovia even sniffed her.

"Are you sure?" they questioned.

"Yes, I _am sure_."

"Well… you have the violet eyes. But… you _feel_ human. I can't detect any magic at all," Irina stated.

"And you smell human, too," added Xenovia helpfully.

She nearly blanched at that. Her? Smelling like one of those dogs? Unacceptable. It must have been all the cooking she'd been doing. "It's a long story. Basically, I killed him. Then he came back to life and sealed my abilities until he thinks I am _'rehabilitated'_." She rolled her eyes as she said that last past sarcastically.

"That…" Irina seemed to be at a loss of words. "Er… write that down, Xenovia. I think that's important information."

"Got it," nodded Xenovia, who then pulled out a pen and another notebook and began muttering to herself as she scribbled, "can revive… from the dead… can… seal… powers."

Raynare gave up.

"I'm going to bed."

It was time to re-evaluate some of her life choices if people were going to think she was Minato's _girlfriend_ of all things and even worse, _a human_.

* * *

Xenovia and Irina shared a room.

The earlier conversation with Raynare had been… enlightening. If anything, it added more to the layer of mysterious that surrounded the boy called Arisato Minato. Telling him about their mission, they decided, was a wise choice. He did not seem to be the kind of person that would take offense to it, though that did not necessarily mean that he would be cooperative.

Irina opened her eyes and unclasped her hands. She had just finished her nightly prayer, and proceeded to prepare for bed. When she turned around, she found that Xenovia was done with her own nightly ritual, standing behind her.

She looked as though she had something important to say.

"I didn't pray tonight," she said.

"Oh," Irina responded.

"Lately when I pray… it feels… hollow. Like shouting into a valley expecting an echo, but hearing nothing in return. I used to wonder why there was never a response. Now I think I know why."

Kokabiel's words still weighed heavily in her mind. God was dead, the Fallen claimed. Initially, she refused to believe it. She still held on to the hope that the Fallen was lying. Xenovia, it seemed, had decided to take the Fallen's and Minato's words. She did not know whether to be disappointed or not.

"I don't think He would have responded even if he were alive, Xenovia. There are hundreds of millions of people praying to him every night. He can't possibly reply," Irina said.

"Maybe. Do you think we should have confirmed with the Church? To see if they know of God's death?"

She shook her head. "No. If the higher-ups knew and wanted us to know, then we would know. If not… then we should not let them know we know, nor should we go around spreading such dangerous words."

"That is true," Xenovia said.

They remained silent for a few minutes. Irina wondered if the world was the way it was today because of God's death. The reincarnation of Devils, the encroachment of humans, the sudden increase in movement of other pantheons. It made sense. She cleared her minds of such blasphemous thoughts. There were more immediate problems. One being Arisato Minato, an entity whose existence seemed not to make any sense at all.

* * *

It had been a while since he found himself in the Sea of Souls. He did not need to descend into the Tower to interact with his Personas, though doing so certainly did add detail and vibrancy into it.

This time, however, he was alone. He hadn't come to this part ever since that first time. The great doors in front of him were frozenly sealed shut as tightly as he could remember.

He walked towards it. He knew what lay behind it. Knew their names, knew their power, but did not know what he had suffered through to win their allegiances. He dared not utter them out, as if doing so would bring them to his side. If he wanted to, he could break that door, forcing them to reveal themselves anyway. But he knew that he was not prepared to meet them.

They were more than just mere Personas. They represented more than just myths – they were the embodiment of concepts – their very existence could alter the world.

 _Thanatos_ , Death come to life.

 _Orpheus Telos_ , the representation of human tenacity.

 _Erebus_ , malice given corporeal form.

 _Nyx_ , whose very presence triggered the apocalypse – the dusk of existence.

 _Messiah_ , the creator of miracles, bringer of salvation.

So many more, indescribable in authority and strength, hidden away behind frozen doors. He wondered, if he were to break it open then and there, what would he find?

He turned around and walked away.

Only time would tell.

* * *

Koneko sat patiently in the grass patch, waiting for her Persona mentor to reappear. She guessed Minato was still asleep somewhere – probably wherever Issei was training. A pang of worry ran through her body when she recounted just how gruesome Minato had made Issei's training sound like.

Then, in a vortex of flame, her teacher arrived. A yawn escaped the Persona's rosy red lips and she stretched her arms. "Oh, you're here already."

Koneko nodded. She had been here since seven, an hour earlier than she had needed to be.

"Any luck?" her teacher asked.

She shook her head. She had spent the whole morning trying. She still could not perform Youjutsu.

"I'll be honest with you. Senjutsu will come a lot more naturally to you then Youjutsu. Are you sure you don't want to learn it first?"

She shook her head again, and said, "I don't want to end up like Onee-sama."

Nine fox tails swayed behind the Persona. Her loosely tied obi did little to hide her generous cleavage showing at the neck of her kimono. Her wooden sandals made a clacking sound as she walked towards Koneko.

The Nekomata had long since gotten over her fear of the Kyuubi in front of her. Few Youkai had not heard of Tamamo no Mae. Even fewer did not fear her. Unparalleled in the Youkai Arts, it was under her leadership that the Youkai Faction had their Golden Age, when the whole of Japan and parts of Asia were under their influence.

And now, the legendary Kyuubi was her teacher.

But try as she might, she could not seem to access her Youkai abilities.

"I'm telling you. Learn Senjutsu first. Mastering your chakra is important before you can learn Youjutsu."

"No," Koneko said, "I'll end up like Onee-sama. I've felt it before, the malice and evil that plagues nature. I will go mad, and I will hurt those I care about."

Tamamo no Mae frowned. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And then she became one with nature. Koneko could feel it, the sudden increase in spiritual pressure that Tamamo was giving off.

The Kyuubi flicked one of her nine tails.

A new path was instantly created in the forest. Trees were flattened and blown away. Grass and flora were uprooted from their spots, creating a clean path of dirt that stretched from Tamamo to the exit of the forest.

"See? It's not that hard."

If anything, that little demonstration cemented Koneko's resolve not to touch Senjutsu. If she ever did something like that, and a friend was in the way… No, she would never allow such a thing to happen.

"You will not be able to defend your friends using merely Devil Magic." Koneko froze. This was the first time Tamamo had said anything in such a warning tone. "You are a Nekomata before you are a Devil. That fact will never change. Your body is far more suited to the Youkai arts than Devil Magic."

"Then I will work even harder on my Magic," she said.

"For what?" Tamamo challenged her, "You can slog your way using the magic of the Devils, but for what? In the end, those who were born to use it will grow much faster than you, and they will very quickly outstrip you in power and ability. You will be left in the dust, Koneko. Your powers will quickly stagnate if you only rely on that small part of your identity. And when Rias needs you most, you will fail her, because you let your past slow you down. You don't want to end up like your sister? _Then don't_. Don't let the hatred control you. Fight it, and ultimately accept it, for this world is a very cruel place. Senjutsu isn't evil, the world is, and you're going to need _something_ to fight all that evil."

Koneko kept quiet. For a few brief instances, her life as Shirone returned to her.

 _A tight embrace wraps around her. As usual, Kuroka smells of lilies. "I'll never let you go, Shirone," her sister purrs into her ears. She snuggles into her sister's bosom, wishing the moment never ends._

 _A boulder smashes into fine dust the moment Kuroka's fist connects with it. "Not bad, nyaa?" Kuroka smiles at her. "When I get the hang of this, maybe I'll teach you!" She nods her head excitedly._

 _She steps back in horror. What has Kuroka done? The body of their master lays on the floor. His chest has been split open, his guts and innards splayed all over the place. Kuroka's fingers are dipped in red liquid, and she brings up her digits to her mouth to give it a lick. When she does, it reveals a set of once-white teeth painted crimson._

Koneko blinked. What was that? Her heart ached, her memories had never been so vivid before. Tamamo wore a slight look of concentration on her face. Then she returned into her subconsciousness, but instead of the past, she saw the future.

 _It is Issei. Or what is left of him. The brown-haired boy is missing an arm, a stream of blood pouring out from where his flesh was torn off. She is on all fours, too weak to move. Issei looks back, ignoring his snapped shin bone and his missing limb. He smiles, "are you alright, Koneko? Good thing that didn't hit you, eh? You would've died."_

The scene changed.

 _They are fighting an enemy. She does not know what it is. All she knows is that it is a monster that is way out of her league. She can see her friends, they are fighting to the very last inch of their lives. They are bloody, tired. But yet they fight. She does not know why. "Kiba," it is Akeno, and all pretence of her mischievousness is wiped clean by the gravity of the situation. "Take Koneko and run! Only you're fast enough. We will hold it back!" She does not understand. Why aren't they running with her? Or rather, why is she the one that Akeno chooses to save?_

Another one.

 _This time, it is Rias. She is in a wedding dress. By all accounts she looks beautiful, but her body posture tells a different story. Her head is hung low, her shoulders are sagged. Her hands, holding a bouquet of flowers are trembling and tears roll down her cheeks. And then she looks up. Her eyes meet her King's. There is no happiness in them. Only blame._

Koneko sunk to the floor. All power of speech left her, and she could only grasp at air with her throat.

Tamamo no Mae stood in front of her, hands crossed in front of her chest. "Do you see now why you need that power?"

Her fault. All of that, what Koneko saw, it was her fault. She planted those images in her head. Koneko glared at her, hatred burning in her heart. She was just as bad as Onee-sama.

Tamamo no Mae shook her head. "What you saw… none of it was because of me, you know? It was all you. You were too weak, and you let your friends down. You dragged them down to hell with you, all because you were too scared to realise your potential."

Koneko wanted to argue, but Tamamo didn't let her. "This is the power of Youjutsu. It lets you peer into the deepest corners of anyone's hearts. It lets you see their deepest desires, who they are truly inside. It lets you see their deepest fears. And I have seen yours, Toujou Koneko, and we will overcome them together."

A hand stretched out to her. Perfect, manicured nails at the end of slender fingers. Koneko wondered how many necks it had snapped or strangled. How many lives it had taken.

She grabbed it anyway.

* * *

Kiba ignored the taste of blood in his mouth. This was the most fun he had in ages. To be honest, he did not expect he would be having this much fun during the training trip. He thought the training would be torturous, and from what he had seen of the others', theirs were. But his was _challenging_ , and he was determined to surmount it.

The Knights of the Round Table. Every single one of them. Even King Arthur himself. Those were his teachers. They were also his enemies right now.

He glanced at the golden sword in his opponent's hand. The Sword of Promised Victory. The Sword of the King. Excalibur.

Yet he could not bring himself to hate it. When they had first introduced themselves, he had clenched his fists and thought Minato was fucking with him. Now he knew better. There really was no better group of fighters than the knights in front of him.

Now he looked at them with respect.

Yesterday it had purely been one-on-one fights. No breaks. Twelve hours of straight continuous fighting. He used to think he was a good swordsman. Months of training with the legendary Souji Okita and years of individual training afterwards had let believe that his skill with the sword was… proficient.

They had proved him wrong. Each and every single one of the twenty-five knights in front of him had crushed him easily. And what bothered him most was that not all of them used swords. Souji had drilled into him that there was no better weapon than the sword. It was the most versatile, reliable, and symbolic weapon forged by Man. Yet here he was, brought down to his knees by spears, axes, halberds, shields, and even _a bow and arrow._ Yes, he had learnt a long time ago that just because he used a sword did not mean his opponent would either. But the feeling was still very infuriating.

Okita would have been disappointed in him.

No matter, his enemies were still right in front of him.

He remembered Oberon's words. How Excalibur had been a sword crafted for Man. How Heaven had defiled it and repurposed it after it shattered. He could see the difference. The sword in King Arthur's hand _sung_ to him. His eyes were naturally drawn to it. There was an ephemeral glow to it, and it radiated an embracing aura as it approached him.

Wait. It was barrelling straight towards his neck.

Without a moment to spare, he dodged, jumping back and using his own blade to block the subsequent strike.

"Distracted?" King Arthur asked, "you should know that there is no greater enemy than a wandering mind. Many good knights have been led astray with nothing more than a drifting thought."

Kiba scowled. He was just about to bite back a retort when a hail of arrows screamed at him. They were blunt, not actually piercing his skin, but they still hurt like hell. Up in a tree, Sir Tristan waved at him, nocking more arrows onto his bow.

"Like I said," King Arthur laughed, "distraction is the enemy."

Kiba couldn't help but grin. He didn't mind this training. Hopefully, his old friends wouldn't mind either.

* * *

"Rias told me she had Bael, _the original Bael_ , as her teacher."

"That's very unfortunate for her. He is very demanding."

"Koneko told me she had Tamamo no Mae as hers."

"She has a slight sadistic streak. Poor thing."

"Kiba said that he got the whole Round Table, a group of the finest knights ever, to train his swordsmanship."

"Wow. That must be very tiring."

"The point is," Akeno said, "they all got teachers who were relevant to their skills to train them."

"That's very good planning on Zhu Ge Liang's part."

"But I fail to see how you are going to train me."

"Well, it's because even the famed tactician of Liu Bei does not know what to do with you. Your talents are diversified, and judging from what I can sense, you aren't afraid of using your Fallen powers even though your record says you aren't very fond of your Fallen background."

Akeno tensed. "So…"

"Undoubtedly, you have some emotional issues. However, they aren't really going to get in the way of your fighting, unlike some of your friends. And Zhu Ge Liang and Minato aren't so brazen to declare themselves your therapist and poke their noses in what's supposed to be a very personal issue. But at the same time, two weeks isn't enough to sharpen all of your already-sharp talents, nor did we want to just focus on one of your specialties. Your current abilities are adequate for the Rating Game."

"So… are we going to be doing nothing?" Akeno asked. "Because if that's the case, I would much rather be helping Issei with his training. It seems as though he could use it."

" _No_. You _most definitely do not_ want to be doing that. Not if you value your life," the Persona sounded alarmed. "But still, that does not mean we are going to be doing nothing. Like yesterday, we will be playing chess."

Akeno sighed. Yesterday, the whole day had been chess. It seemed today would be no different. It wasn't fair, everybody else seemed to be doing something exciting – albeit painful. She huffed, "I don't see the point of this. Isn't this be the kind of thing that Sona's Peerage should be doing?"

The Persona had just finished setting the board. He was playing white, and he moved first. With a _clack_ , he moved his pawn forwards. "Absolutely not. That would be wasting their time."

Hesitantly, Akeno moved her own knight forward. It was a whimsical move. One she had no future plans to build on. Across her, the Persona frowned. "I don't understand," she said, "this is their kind of thing."

The Persona moved a bishop. "Which is exactly why they don't need any further help with it."

Akeno blinked. Then she moved a pawn that would protect her King from a possible attack.

The Persona smiled slightly. "Tell me, Akeno Himejima, would you not agree with me, that individually speaking, the Gremory Peerage is far more talented than the Sitri's?"

Hesitantly, she nodded. They had fewer members, but they were definitely better in quality. They had a Longinus, for crying out loud.

"Yet, if the two of you fought. Would you also not agree with me, that the odds are about fifty-fifty?"

This time she nodded again.

The game was secondary to her now. Something told her this conversation was going to be the most enlightening thing she heard all day.

"Why do you think that's so?" the Persona posed to her.

"Sona's smart," she said, "she's good at all the strategy stuff."

"Yes. Her ability to analyse a fight and battlefield appears to be uncannily good. And what, may I ask, is your Peerage's counter to that? How would you fight an opponent that is able to second-guess all your moves, to plan ahead, and to respond appropriately to all your tactics?"

"We're spontaneous," she said, "unpredictable. Determined. We stand up when people think we've fallen down, we pull aces out from sleeves that others thought were empty."

"That kind of strategy," the Persona said very softly, "is the most dangerous kind. An all-or-nothing approach. The exact same kind of thinking that landed you in this Rating Game in the first place. Rias has hedged her all her assets on this one gamble, and should you lose, you lose _everything_. Your Peerage is very good at fighting battles, but very bad at fighting wars."

Akeno had no response to that. Strategy had never been their strong suit. Sure, they had a general plan and rough idea when it came to tackling their problems. But a meticulous scheme with contingencies with variables and considerations? None of them knew how.

And that, she realised, was going to be a problem. Perhaps not with this Rating Game, but in the long run, they would pay for it.

The Persona smiled at her. "I see that you are beginning to understand. You are the Queen, it is your role to be the general, second only to the King. Your King will lead, but you will plan. Everyone's lives will depend on your strategy, including your King. Tell me, Himejima Akeno, are you ready to learn?"

She nodded. The Persona moved his Bishop. "Checkmate," he declared, "you have much to learn. But rest assured, I, Sun Tzu, will teach you the art of war so well that every battle you take part in will become a masterpiece."

* * *

" **Stand up. We are not done yet."**

Issei's response was a groan. Everything hurt. He could feel bone fragments digging into his tissue with every movement he made.

Pain beyond what was imaginable. Pain that had not stopped since yesterday. Pain that even nine hours of unconsciousness could not dull.

Yet he stood. With a broken arm, he pushed himself off the ground. With a snapped leg, he got to his feet. With one eye sealed shut by crusted blood, he looked at his teacher in defiance.

" **Good. At least you have learnt something."**

Yes, he had. He was a Pawn. The only one in the whole Peerage. Rias had spent eight whole pieces on him. That gave the Peerage a disadvantage. Pawns were supposed to be dispensable, sacrificial pieces to protect important ones. Out of eight, only one or two needed to survive for Promotion. The rest were supposed to serve as the shield of the Peerage – that was why in chess, they were in front.

They were distractions, bait, fodder. That was what it meant to be a Pawn. But Issei understood that he had robbed Rias of that convenience. She had only one Pawn, and because of that, he became just as important as the pieces he was supposed to protect. But that did not mean he could not protect them.

He would do it with his very life. He would take blows meant for them with his body. He would paint a target on himself so their enemies would only aim for him. And then he would return the punishment tenfold. As his teacher had said, _'before you can learn to dish punishment, you must learn to take it.'_

And he had taken it. A torturous amount of it. How many times had he blacked out from the pain? Only to wake up and find Asia and one of Arisato-san's Personas re-growing parts of his body?

He did not know Arisato-san was capable of summoning such a cruel monstrosity. He looked at his friend now in a different light. There was newfound respect for him, even more than what he initially held for the blue-haired boy.

Issei wondered, how many of such dark Personas haunted the boy? How many of them inserted atrocities in his mind, and how many of them tried to sway his moral compass? But Arisato-san was a good person. That much he knew. No bad person would sacrifice two weeks of their lives to help a girl they barely knew. No bad person would put their lives on the line to save a town they had barely lived in. No bad person would look at his current state with shame, regret, and guilt in his eyes.

Issei wasn't stupid when it came to the matters of the heart. He could see Arisato-san wince every time he got dealt a blow. He could see him fret with worry as Asia and a healer-Persona try to re-grow a lost appendage. He could see that it was taking the boy every bit of effort not to step in and stop his teacher.

Minato was suffering. Asia was putting in all her effort, each healing attempt leaving her exhausted. Everyone was giving their all. He could not allow himself to give up here. That night, when Rias had offered herself to him. That had been the first time he had seen her cry. The first time he met Riser was the second time. He wouldn't let his Buchou be sad anymore. A girl like that deserved to marry the man she loved, not some arrogant, conceited bastard like Riser. He would do anything in his power to make Rias happy.

Even suffering through the ordeal that was this.

" **Your opponent is immortal.**

 **Your attacks will do nothing against him.**

 **The same cannot be said for you.**

 **We will fix that.**

 **You will become so sturdy, so durable, so immune to pain, that you might as well become immortal.**

 **A Dragon's hide is supposed to be impenetrable.**

 **Its scales are meant to be indestructible.**

 **A Dragon is endurance given form.**

 **When you have learnt these lessons, I will teach you to use your claws and your fangs.**

 **And only then will you be worthy of the name of the Dragon locked in that gauntlet.**

 **I will mould you into the ultimate predator.**

 **You will be my greatest achievement.**

 **And you will be my final opponent."**

Issei didn't really understand what the Persona was talking about. Ddraig had been very quiet during most of the time. It had only warned him against the entity that would be training him – that the Persona was as much a threat as the Great Welsh had been in its prime.

Ddraig did not like this, Issei knew. Dragons were possessive, after all. And no Dragon liked it when another Dragon laid claim to its possession.

* * *

"Vali."

The man stopped. He knew the voice. He had not expected to hear it again so soon.

"Kokabiel. Shouldn't you be in Cocytus?" He asked.

"And shouldn't you be in Kyoto running an errand for Azazel?"

"Fair enough," he conceded. Then he asked, "what do you want?"

"I'm here to warn you. The Khaos Brigade. You should leave while you still can."

He did not question how Kokabiel knew. It mattered little now that the truth was out. What did matter was how he was going to deal with it. "And how would you know?"

"Because I was once with them. They fed me lies and sweetened words. Told me of a perfect world that they were going to create. But there is only one true goal of the Khaos Brigade."

"To destroy Great Red." He stated. He already knew this of course. It was the reason he joined.

He could almost hear Kokabiel's smirk. "No. That is Ophis' goal. A goal that will never be accomplished. The Ouroboros will never defeat the Apocalypse. That was the reason the Great Red was created, after all. He was born to replace Ophis and be superior to her, to succeed where Ophis failed."

"Of course. Ophis wouldn't enlist our help if she could beat him by herself." He rolled his eyes.

"And how do you expect to beat the Great Red if the power you will get comes from the very existence that is inferior to it?"

He scoffed. "As if I'll need her power or her stupid snakes. I'll beat Great Red with nothing but my own strength."

"Then why bother joining the Khaos Brigade in the first place?" Kokabiel asked.

"So I can meet strong people. And so I can fight them, and when I have beaten them all, including Ophis herself, I will take down Great Red and take the title of True Dragon Emperor for myself."

"I have a better idea," Kokabiel said.

Vali raised an eyebrow, "I'm listening."

"There is a boy in Kuoh. He is rather unremarkable at first glance. The truth cannot be any further. Find him, you can even try to challenge him. And then after that, I want you to reconsider your life choices."

Vali laughed. "You sound like an old man trying lecture me."

"No," Kokabiel chuckled, "think of me as a satisfied customer recommending a product to his friend."

"This boy, is he strong?"

"Very."

"Did you lose to him?"

"I didn't even need to."

* * *

 **IMPORTANT NOTE BELOW, PLEASE READ:**

 **A/N: as some of you can guess, the main highlight of this arc will actually be the training phase, not the Rating Game. But after seeing the reaction to previous chapter, I've decided to let you guys have some say. Do you want to see the Rating Game at all? Minato won't be participating. He'll be a spectator wth some important people. Let me know in PMs and Reviews, if most of you want me skipping it, I don't mind skipping the Rating Game and starting the Heaven/church-arc early. Your opinions are important to me, even if they don't make my decisions for me. That being said, i know most readers are the silent, non-participant type. Please leave a review, even if it's anonymous, because your voice is going to determine the story this time.**

 **As for Issei's sensei, I want to introduce him in a super badass way, so you guys won't actually be seeing him anytime soon. But you can always guess :)**

 **As always, do leave a review and pm me for any queries or views. Just to let u know, I don't believe in addressing individual reviews, so if you're anonymous and you're asking me an uncommon question, chances are you won't get a response. So do log in if you're asking me a question via review!**

 **Don't forget to fav and follow, we're hitting 2k follows soon!**

 **~Paulziés**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: So Fahad surprised us with a Christmas upload for Demon Lord's Hero, so I'll surprise y'all with a belated New Year's Upload!**

 **Ello, I'm back! Between taking a break, Mario Odyssey, Pokemon Ultra Sun, and catching up on my shows, fanfics, books, and other stuff, I've taken a short hiatus. Its nice to see that some of you write to me then to make sure I'm still alive, which I am.**

 **I've done alot of thinking about this story during my little sabbatical, and I realised that the Wedding Arc, which I will now call the Training Arc, is a treasure trove of opportunities to work on character development. Hence, instead of rushing through it and starting the Heaven Arc as soon as possible, I thought I'd focus more on building the characters and exploring their histories and personalities. Of course some of you guys will be disappointed. Suck it up, characterization is important, at least to me. And judging by how most of you guys like what I did to Kokabiel, it is to you too.**

 **Anyway, this chapter isn't too flashy, there really isn't any reason for it to be, we're just elaborating abit on their training. The main highlight of the Training Arc will be Kiba. This is because after actually browsing through the wikia, I realised the way I handled the Excalibur Arc means that Kiba won't find inner peace and won't be able to upgrade his Sword Birth thingy. So hopefully this Training Arc can rectify that believably.**

 **Anyway, as a result of me expanding on the Wedding/Training Arc, naturally, the Heaven Arc is going to be delayed. On the bright side, for all those looking forward to the latter Arc, I'll be updating regularly, so we definitely will be on it by the middle of this year! (This current Arc might last another 3-5 chapters).**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Edit: i've edited young Kiba to Isaiah, thanks for pointing that out guys**

* * *

 **Chapter 15:**

The clearing was… clear, as Kiba noted. His lips curled into a frown. For the past three days, the Knights of the Round Table had shown up without fail, prepared for another day of sparring and battle.

Was he too early today?

The moment he stepped into the area however, he knew he was not.

His teacher was already here, even if it was no longer King Arthur and his knights. The thick ambience confirmed it.

He waited patiently for the unknown Persona to show itself.

It did not. He concluded the lesson had already begun. Perhaps it wanted him to find it?

He closed his eyes, heightening his Devil-sharpened senses even more. The smell of dirty and flora, while strong, was nothing out of the ordinary. Then he heard it.

 _Tick._

 _Tock._

 _Tick._

 _Tock._

He pursed his lips in consternation but when he opened his eyes, it was already too late. There was no more ground. He was standing on a giant clock, the hands spinning chaotically in random directions.

Then purple light began to shine from it and in a flash, all that was left was an empty clearing.

* * *

"Again."

Rias was panting in exhaustion.

 _"Charge up your Power of Destruction. And then hit me with it."_

Naturally, she had been slightly concerned about Bael's request.

The ancient king had scoffed. _"Don't kid yourself. You're a million years too young to even make me move."_

That had irritated her, so she did send out a warning shot, one slow enough that it could be dodged, and weak enough it wouldn't kill him.

Probably.

She didn't expect Bael to remain standing there.

And she also didn't expect him to raise a hand and flick her attack with a finger.

And she most certainly did not expect to see her Power of Destruction pop like a balloon.

' _I said hit me, didn't I?'_

And so she had after that. She had pumped all her energy into her next attack, sending a beam of destruction strong enough to erase a skyscraper out of existence.

And like before, Bael stood there, a swirling mass of darkness, completely untouched.

"Again."

And that brought her to where she was now.

The cycle had carried on.

Attack.

Attack.

Attack.

Every time, without fail, Bael would remain completely stationary and unharmed.

And now Rias was exhausted. But she wouldn't give up. She started storing more magic into her palm again. She could feel the Power of Destruction fighting against her control. It had a mind of its own, and there was only one thing on it.

 _Devour_.

Its appetite so voracious that every passing second caused the power to tremble even harder in her hands. Its desire to destroy the untouchable target in front of them was more powerful than ever.

A target Rias realized was now right in front of her.

 _Flick_

Rias stared at her now-empty palm, devoid of the Power of Destruction.

Bael looked down at her, his fiery eyes burning brightly.

"Pathetic. That was pathetic. And to think someone carrying my blood has ended up so weak. I did not know the Bael bloodline was capable of such weakness until I laid eyes on you, Rias Gremory."

Rias repressed her rage. She couldn't argue - the proof had been right in front of her eyes. Bael hadn't even budged. Instead, she hung her head in shame.

"It is weaklings like you that has caused the Devil name to be dragged through the mud. Feeble excuses of Devils who squander their gifts, thinking that their abilities equate to power. _Power_ is power, and the Power of Destruction is an ability only the most powerful are worthy to wield!" Bael all but spat out.

Rias flinched under the hard stare directed at her.

"You are not worthy, not if you spend more than half your strength restraining you power instead of unleashing it. If your name were Bael instead of Gremory, I would have you disown it for the shame it brings me postmortem."

Every word stung like a slap, but the last sentence finally brought her to tears. She was not worthy. She had always known this deep down. That being Rias did not bring her to where she was today, but being Gremory did. The resources, the Peerage, the status... they were not hers. They belonged to the Gremory half of her name, and not the half that mattered.

A clenched fist slammed into the ground, right where tears had fallen moments earlier. She knew this - she always had. And she had been determined to rectify it the moment she understood why her servants refused to call her by name but always, 'Young Mistress Gremory'. And now Bael just had to rub her deepest insecurity in her face.

"My name isn't... Gremory," resolve seeped into her voice, "my name is... Rias."

The Power of Destruction flared to life, cloaking her whole arm in mystic crimson energy. It was dying to be released, to be set upon the one that had made her cry. A tiny spark in Bael's eyes.

Curiosity.

Her arm was raring to go, tugging free at invisible chains to pound the Persona in front of her.

Bael had asked for this. At first she was afraid of what her powers would do if she didn't control them. Now she just didn't care.

Bael had pissed her off.

Spiritually, she unshackled her powers, letting it run free. Power flooded out of her magical core, not of her will but their own, depleting her entire reserves dry in moments. Her arm, coated with power so dense, looked like the very void itself as it screamed right into Bael's cheek.

 _Crack_

Her arm, now fleshy and missing it earlier magical armor was plastered against Bael's face, which had turned slightly from the impact.

Then the pain came.

She wanted to scream, and she bit her lips until they bled to keep it in. Still she kept her fist there.

Bael's eyes burned even brighter, and the pain intensified. The agony was causing her to tear. The smell of burning flesh began to waft up her nose and dribbles of blood trickled down Bael's cheeks. Calling on whatever fumes she could find left in her magical core, she summoned whatever power she could muster in that moment, forming a thin layer of protection between her skin and Bael's face.

The Power of Destruction vanished a moment later. So did the pain, however.

Bael turned his face back slightly to face her, the tiniest smirk on his face. A face Rias realized, slightly giddy with joy, now had a small dent in it.

"Better."

* * *

"I don't think I'm making any progress," Akeno said flatly.

"What makes you say that?" asked Sun Tze.

"I don't feel any…" she paused for a moment and sighed, "smarter."

The Persona tapped his chin, a ponderous expression crossing his face. Given how he was still staring intently at the board between them, Akeno felt that her teacher was more concerned about the chess game than his student.

The Persona moved a Knight, forcing Akeno to choose between saving a King or a Pawn.

The choice was obvious of course.

She was only slightly upset when Sun Tze mercilessly kicked away her Pawn with his Knight.

"I've decided that I don't like this game," Sun Tze said.

She blinked. "But we've been playing it for three days straight!" She exclaimed.

"Yes. I thought I would give it a try and that it would grow on me. But it hasn't."

She realised something. "You mean… this is your first time playing?"

Sun Tze gave her a funny look. "I'm an ancient Chinese legend. When did you think I had a chance to play continental chess?"

"Oh. Right." Well, that made her feel silly. Then angry. She'd grown up playing chess with Rias, until a little girl called Sona Sitri arrived and ruined the game for the both of them. But to think that a first-time player had managed to beat her so soundly was downright humiliating.

"Let's change things up. Alter the rules a little bit, make this game a bit more fun."

He was smiling at her. Yet Akeno felt only unease as the Persona reset the board.

When she looked down, something was amiss.

"Why do I only have one Pawn, while you have eight? And why am I missing a Rook, a Knight, and a Bishop?"

"To make things more fun, of course!" Sun Tze was beaming at her now.

"That's not fair at all!"

"And you're telling me the upcoming Rating Game will be?"

Her stomach dropped.

She looked at the board in front of her. The King piece was replaced with a buxom redhead. A visage of a brown-haired boy with a red gauntlet covered the lone Pawn piece. Members of the ORC took their places across the board. There were a mere six of them. On the other end of the board, all sixteen members of Riser's Peerage stood menacingly.

The sight of it was disheartening. All this time, she had thought of the Rating Game as one Peerage fighting another, but that wasn't true in the slightest. Rias didn't have a full Peerage. In fact, without Gasper on the field, they wouldn't even be fighting at full strength.

"Tell me, Akeno Himejima, do you think you can win this?"

With such a disadvantageous start, she doubted even Sona could win this. She shook her head.

"See, that's the problem. You are only seeing them as pieces on a board."

She looked up. Sun Tze was levelling a serious look at her. He pointed to the single Pawn piece on the board.

"The most important part of any army is its infantry unit. How many pawns do you have?"

"One."

"Is that really the case?"

What was he talking about? It wasn't like she had any other Pawn pieces lying around. The side-by-side comparison to her Peerage was obvious. Rias only had Issei; she had no other Pawns. And it wasn't like she could have any other more pawns in the future.

Her eyes lit up. Rias couldn't have any other more pawns.

She had no Evil Pawn Pieces left. Because she had used all eight on Issei.

Issei wasn't one Pawn. He was eight of them. A one-man-army.

"Issei. He is worth eight Pawns." She said in realisation.

"Very good. Right now, your Peerage is outnumbered and outgunned. That, along with Riser's immortality, is stopping you from winning the Game. There are three things you are going to realise before you can win the game."

In front of her, the lone pawn piece melted into a gooey white mess, and began to reform as a different piece. With its wings unfurled to their full length, its fangs bared, and its claws raised threateningly, the single Pawn piece was replaced by a miniature ivory Dragon.

"This is the first one." Sun Tze said. "Issei's Sacred Gear is more than enough to address the difference in firepower. Employed correctly, your lone pawn is more than enough to negate any disadvantage in attacking power."

Akeno nodded her head. "And the other two?"

"Well, it wouldn't be very teacher-like of me to just tell you the answer, right?"

Akeno resisted the urge to frown. Sun Tze had a point. This was something she needed to realise herself. But it annoyed her to no end that the answer to her problems was already in the mind of the man sitting across her.

"A hint, at least. Please?"

A lone finger pointed towards her King piece. Sun Tze smiled. "Think about who this is. I expect to hear your answer tomorrow."

And then Sun Tze vanished, leaving only Akeno sitting at a chess board without an opponent.

* * *

"See? That wasn't so bad!" beamed Tamamo.

"Bad…?" Koneko echoed softly, then raised a shaking finger to point at her mentor's still bloody sleeve. "You're missing an arm." A wave of panic surged over Koneko. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid. She'd hurt her. She'd gone into a Senjutsu-driven fit of madness and yanked off her teacher's arm.

"Pfft. Arms grow back," laughed Tamamo.

"No… they don't."

"Well, mine do." And then one of Tamamo's nine tails dissolved into a gooey green energy that turned into a new fleshy arm to replace the missing one. Koneko did not miss out how the tail did not grow back, nor how that little stunt made Tamamo begin to sweat.

"See?" panted Tamamo, "good as new!"

"This… was a mistake. We should never have gone into Senjutsu. It's too dangerous!" Koneko began to protest. "I could've killed you."

"Nonsense. I'm the great Tamamo no Mae. I'm too pretty for the universe to kill off. Come now, we can't let my missing arm go to waste, we have to keep practicing so you don't make that mistake again!"

She wanted to argue, but behind Tamamo's smile was a steely look that wouldn't take no for an answer. She sighed. Tamamo was right. She needed to get stronger, and harming a Persona was far preferable to harming a real person. She closed her eyes, letting her soul begin to mix with the world.

Just as she was about to become one with nature again, a voice interrupted her.

"Wait!"

She looked up and opened her eyes.

Tamamo was smiling nervously and making a spinning gesture with her hand.

"How bout, uh… you face another direction, eh?"

Right. That was probably for the best.

* * *

"Um… so what should I do this time?"

She looked at her teachers, a great many deal of them. A whole team.

"Hmm… why don't you try to tell us Asia? I think we've done this enough times for you to know what's wrong with him."

She nodded uncertainly, "I will try, Lord Asclepius." The Greek God of healing and medicine smiled kindly at her, encouraging her as she knelt down towards Issei's bloody and battered body.

Step one: Diagnosis.

She looked at his right leg, which was bent at a place it was most certainly not supposed to be – it looked as though Issei had two knees on that leg.

"Right tibia and fibula suffered clean break."

She raised up Issei's shirt, where his chest seemed slightly deformed. She began to tap his torso, noting the different sounds it made upon contact.

"Right lung collapsed, suspected cause: shattered ribcage punctured it. Black blood leaking from wound on lower torso indicates that kidneys have been compromised."

She continued to list down all of Issei's injuries with a clean, methodical calmness. Days ago, the sight before her would have sent her to tears and panic, but she had learnt on the very first day of training that getting upset would achieve nothing.

Step two: Treatment.

With practiced ease, Twilight Healing appeared on her fingers. Healing had become a significantly easier process ever since she had learnt _what_ exactly she was healing. Bone fragments pulled themselves out of tissue, gluing themselves back together to become whole again. Fresh air filled Issei's deflated lung, causing his chest to rise slightly. Ailments that would've killed a common man cured themselves within a few, short seconds.

Yet Issei would not breathe not open his eyes.

Step three: Troubleshooting

She ran through a list of everything. Had she missed something out? She did another scan. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Every organ was in perfect condition. Even Issei's brain was still alive, sending electrical impulses, albeit at a decreasing speed.

Worry began to pile up. She hadn't managed to resuscitate Issei. She wasn't good enough. Her breathing began to quicken. Her hands began to tremble. The first few drops rolled down her cheeks.

"Sensei…" she whispered, "help."

The Personas looked at each other. Every single one of them was a god of Medicine or Healing of some culture. Every single one of them knew what Asia had missed out.

Sighing, Asclepius knelt next to her.

"Feel his pulse."

She did. There was nothing.

She shook her head. Issei was dead. He had been dead the whole time.

Oh dear God, he'd been dead the whole time.

Restarting his heart should have been the first thing she did.

"I'm an idiot," she mumbled to herself.

"Meh, you did the other parts okay," laughed Ascelpius.

* * *

"Who are you?" Kiba asked. He had long since known that normal physical limitations like space and time meant little to Arisato Minato and his Personas. Still, being transported to a pocket dimension was still a fairly novel experience for him.

He was in a universe. A miniature one. Around him, clouds of gases condensed and formed bright shining stars that exploded into magnificent supernovas seconds later. Galaxies collided and formed supergalaxies before black holes devoured them out of existence. He was mesmerised by the display in front of him until he finally found the Persona.

A lion's head. Wings made from pure golden energy. A serpent that intertwined every single part of its body. The universe encircled itself around the Persona. Despite the fact that he was bigger than a galaxy, Kiba suddenly felt very small.

The Persona cocked its head at the question. With its lion-head, Kiba wondered if the Persona could actually speak. His question was answered a second later.

" **I am Time."**

An enlightening, but utterly useless answer.

"You are supposed to teach me?" He asked. He had no doubt the Persona was powerful. He just didn't know what he could learn from it. It was unlikely the being in front of him actually needed to use swords in battle.

" **No."**

That wasn't the answer Kiba was expecting. "Then why are you here?"

" **To help you learn."**

He frowned, "isn't that the same thing?"

" **No."**

He waited for an elaboration, but there was none.

Suddenly they weren't surrounded by the cosmos anymore. They were in a church. A very familiar Church. And in front of him was a very familiar man.

Valper Galilei.

It was a flashback, he realised, when he saw a carbon copy of himself swinging a blade down to decapitate the wayward priest. A pang of anger hit him. The death had been too clean, too painless. He should have made the man suffer, stabbed him somewhere not immediately fatal, damning him to an agonising demise.

"Why are you showing me this?" he asked, trying to contain the contempt out of his voice.

" **I am not. You are the one showing this to me."**

It took him a moment to understand. "You're digging through my memories," he accused. "Get out of my head."

" **I am Time. The history of the world, including this particular instance, are my memories as much as they are yours."**

Kiba scowled. He couldn't argue with sound logic like that. That didn't mean he had to like it though. "Whatever, can we move on to something else?"

" **We can. But the one controlling what we are seeing is you."**

Kiba hesitated. What memory was pleasant but not private enough for him to share?

The answer revealed itself to him before he could discover it himself.

He saw his mentor. His very first teacher, Okita Souji.

" _You are weak. A powerless human being." The man says, though there is no disapproval in his voice. "You are nothing special, and you are only alive because Rias Gremory has a heart of gold."_

 _He keeps quiet, knowing every word is true. Excalibur did not choose him. If it had, perhaps all his friends might still be alive. He is pathetic and ordinary, and he knows it._

" _But so was I."_

 _He looks up in surprise. The legendary swordsman grins at him, "I had tuberculosis, you know? It weakened me terribly. But I didn't let that stop me. I fought it. I fought it till the bitter end. I fought it by picking up the way of the sword, turning my resolve into steel, and learning to temper my will in the hottest of flames. And now here I stand, stronger than I ever imagined."_

 _Admiration builds up in his heart. Kiba didn't know that the legendary swordsman was plagued with illness, but now that he does, his respect increases tenfold._

" _Teach me, Okita-sensei."_

 _"Hmmm... I've always wanted a cute little student."_

"That's better," Kiba muttered under his breath. A wave of nostalgia hit him like a wall of bricks. It'd been so long since he saw Okita-sensei. Not since he left the Underworld to follow Rias to school in Kuoh. "So… what exactly am I supposed to learn from watching my past?"

The Persona looked at him with its emotionless lion head.

" **We are defined by our past. We are caged by the present. But the future, the future is determined by us."**

"That's very profound, but not very helpful," Kiba said as honestly as he could.

" **Our choices determine the future. But we can only make once choice. Because of that, we only see one future. But there are many of them, and I am going to show you the futures that you did not get to see."**

Kiba blinked, trying to comprehend the scale of what the Persona was describing. "You're going to show me alternate timelines."

An almost imperceptible nod by the Persona.

"You can't do that."

" **I am Time. I can."**

Again, he couldn't argue with that logic.

* * *

"Neh, Shishou," Issei groaned, "I get the importance of defense and evasive training," then jumped away to avoid a stream of fire that melted the soil below to glass, "but I don't get how this is going to help defeat that chicken bastard."

 **"Your opponent is nearly immortal. Do you honestly think defeating him will be easy?"**

"No... that's why you've got to teach me a super secret move that will totally wreck his ass, you know? Instead of just trying to blow me up and cut me in half."

As if on cue, a massive talon swiped at him, and Issei would have been bisected had he not ducked in time.

 **"You are delusional. There are no 'secret moves'. There are no shortcuts. There is only way to achieve victory for a Dragon."**

"Yea, yea I get it. You've said it so many times - 'complete and utter domination'. But Shishou, what does that even mean? Aren't there cool powers that completely and utterly dominate my enemies? Teach me those!"

 **"Brat. Do you know how long immortal battles last? They can last up to millenia. You can ask Ra and Apophis, ask them of the countless battles they partook against each other every evening in the Duat."**

"Du-what? But Millenia?!" asked Issei in shock and he began to count his fingers, stopping when he realized he simply didn't have enough of them. "That's like... more than a thousand years right? Wouldn't that get boring?"

 **"I will need to beat the insolence out of you. There is no greater joy than battle, the feel of your own blood pumping through your veins and your opponent's pouring out of their wounds. There is no greater satisfaction than emerging from a cataclysmic battle victorious. There is no greater pleasure than watching the life fade from the eyes of those you hate."**

"Boobs."

Silence reigned.

Even Minato, desensitized to the pointless battle banter, fell off the stump he was sitting on and could only look at Issei in sheer awe.

Such audacity.

"Sex."

At the Persona's stunned silence, Issei began to wave his hands frantically.

"Orgasms?!"

Massive talons swung down onto Issei, who held out one arm and shouted, "Wait!"

They stopped, hovering mere millimeters above Issei's skull.

"Shishou..." Issei's voice wavered, and Minato raised an eyebrow when he realized it was sadness, not fear, he was hearing in the pervert's voice. "Don't tell me that... you're a VIRGIN!?"

The talons slammed down and Issei screamed for real.

Next to Minato, Asia made an _eep._

He shook his head.

You'd think after the fifth time, Issei would actually learn.

* * *

"What was that?" asked Irina, looking around.

"What was what?" asked Xenovia in return.

"That scream, it sounded like Issei," replied Irina in concern. "I hope he's alright."

"I didn't hear anything. Anyway, he's too far away for us to check on him. He's on the other side of the area."

Irina sighed dejectedly. She wondered how Issei was doing. She hadn't seen him at all ever since this little trip started. It had always been Minato or occasionally Asia who returned to the lodge to collect his meals. By their accounts, despite the grueling training, Issei's spirits was still remarkably high. Then again, that optimism was why she liked him so much in the first place.

It was only the very stern warnings that Minato gave that stopped her from visiting her dear friend.

"I think we're here," she said, the empty clearing in front of her matching the one on the map designated as Kiba's training area.

Xenovia frowned, "I think we're _not_. It's empty. Irina... did you get us lost again? Honestly, how do you get lost _with a_ _map_?"

"No, this is the place!" Irina said defensively, "I'm sure of it! And you try leading us then! Let's see how good you are at navigating when all the landmarks are destroyed and the landscape rearranged!" She sighed, "I hope Rias-san won't get too angry when she realizes how wrecked her mountain retreat is."

"What are you talking about," said Xenovia smugly, "I can't hold the map. I'm the only one with a sword. Who's going to defend us from attacks if my hands are occupied with a piece of colored paper?"

Irina scowled. Leave it to Xenovia to rub it in the fact that, with the Excaliburs destroyed, Xenovia still had Durandal and she had nothing. "What attacks?" she cried aloud, "there's _nobody_ here!"

"My my, with the two of you making so much noise, no wonder my cute little student got scared off," an unknown voice said behind them.

"There's somebody here!" shrieked Irina.

Xenovia had already responded, pulling Durandal out from her pocket dimension and spinning to face the newcomer.

The man looked generally harmless with his plain haori and easygoing smile on his lips. His hands were were crossed behind his head, but the lone sword hanging at his belt ensured that both girls kept their guards up.

The man chuckled, "twitchy, aren't we?"

Xenovia narrowed her eyes. She recognized this man. And while she couldn't remember his name, she raised her sword threateningly at him. "Who are you?" she asked menacingly. She could not afford to get careless. Generally, memorable people were the dangerous people.

The man was unfazed, the same grin still on his face. "Me? Just a concerned teacher looking for his missing student."

"Student? Teacher?" asked Irina, "you mean you're Kiba's mentor? I thought he said it was the Knights of the Round Table that were training him."

"Yes," the man nodded, "I do recall seeing them clashing with him yesterday and the day before. But as you can see... they're not exactly here anymore, are they?"

Xenovia pursed her lips. Something was off. She extended her senses, trying to identify the man before them. And then she felt it.

It was hidden, buried so deep that only the smallest trace of it could be detected, and she would've missed it completely if she hadn't been looking for it.

Demonic Energy.

The man beamed at her. She scowled. Did he let her find it on purpose? "You're not a Persona, are you?" she asked. Next to her, Irina tensed.

"No."

"I want a real answer this time. _Who are you_?"

"My name is Okita Souji."

She could feel the blood drain from her face. No wonder she recognized him. She could see Irina visibly paling as well. They were both Exorcists - hunting evil Devils was a part of their job scopes. But there were some Devils that they could not hunt, and they were taught to flee upon seeing one of them. Hours had been spent memorizing a list, and evidently hours had not been enough if she could not immediately recognize Lucifer's Knight in front of her.

Fighting was not an option. While Japan's Strongest Swordsman was debatable, it was inarguable that the Devil in front of them had rightfully earned the title of Japan's Fastest Swordsman.

They would be dead before they could even blink.

Still, that was no excuse not to put on a brave front. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Observing," was his response.

"Observing what?" asked Irina.

The Knight of Lucifer looked at them strangely. "You wouldn't think the Satan Lucifer would just let a powerful and unknown boy train his sister in a secluded mountain retreat unsupervised, would you? Who knows what kind of _nefarious_ things said boy could be up to? Especially since Miss Gremory is certainly quite attractive."

"Arisato-san isn't like that!" argued Irina, blushing deeply.

Xenovia chided herself for not realizing this earlier. Obviously Sirzechs Lucifer would have someone to observe the training.

"Oh I know that. That Minato boy seems like quite the upstanding fellow. But he's not the only person I'm interested in watching."

"Who else..."

"Imagine my surprise when I come here to check up on my former student, only to discover that he is missing. Suspiciously, I find two Exorcists in his stead."

"We didn't do anything!" exclaimed Irina, "we're looking for him too!"

Okita's grin turned sly. "And _why_ exactly would you be looking for him?"

With a start, Xenovia realized this was what the Devil was after the whole time. She saw no point in hiding it.

"We were asked by the Church to monitor Arisato Minato and his Personas."

Irina looked at her in disbelief and with a trace amount of betrayal on her face.

"I knew that. Of course the Church would ask you to monitor the boy who can summon Archangels from thin air. I want to know if they asked you to observe anybody else."

"Anybody else?" she repeated, not knowing what Okita was getting at.

"In your dealings with them since the... Kokabiel Incident, has the Church demonsrated any increase in interest or hostility towards Rias Gremory and her Peerage?"

Immediately, the two of them understood. Okita wasn't just here to watch Minato, but them as well. There was no doubt in their minds that the Church had interest in Minato's powers, perhaps even hoping to attain or replicate it. Owing to the close relationship Minato had with the Gremory Peerage, it was only natural for the Satan Lucifer to assume the Church would take an interest in Rias as well.

Well they hadn't, so she shook her head and told him so. As an afterthought she added, "or at least, not that they told us." After hearing about God's death, her trust in the Church's leadership was less than stellar.

Okita looked at her contemplatively and sighed, seemingly taking her word for it. "But you will let me know if the situation changes, won't you?"

She nodded.

Okita looked satisfied, "now, if only any one of us had an idea where my adorable little student has disappeared off to."

* * *

 _He is in a body that is simultaneously his, but not his at the same time. For one, it is too short, and his tiny legs dangle off the chair he is sitting on. The body does not listen to his commands, but he knows it is his because of the distinctive scar on his right thumb knuckle that came from trying to pet a stray dog._

 _He sees familiar faces around him. Faces that belong to the dead. This is his past, he realizes._

 **'Not your past.'**

 _The voice of the Persona rings in his head, and he makes his dissatisfaction at having his mind invaded quite clear by replying in annoyance, 'then whose?'_

 **'Isaiah's. But not you.'**

 _He flinches at the name. He has not heard it in a long time. It is what Valper named him, and it is a reminder of all that he has lost._

 _At first Kiba is confused. Then he remembers what the Persona said about alternate timelines, and he realizes he must be occupying the body of a Yuuto Kiba from one of the timelines._

 _The revelation causes him to pay more attention to his surroundings. He recognizes this place. Of course he does, its where he met Valper Galilei the first time and also the first time he saw a Holy Sword._

 _Sure enough, one of the Excaliburs is brought in, accompanied by the man he killed a week ago in that abandoned church. He feels disgust and hatred for the false priest, but is surprised when it is matched with respect and admiration of equal magnitude._

 _He realizes they are the emotions of his younger, other self. That's right, this Kiba doesn't yet know of the atrocities Valper will commit. Hasn't yet undergone the ordeal that will leave hatred and bitterness festering for over a decade. Instead the boy sees the man who rescued them from the orphanage, the man who gave him friends so close he considered them brothers and sisters._

 _The room quietens down with Valper's arrival. So many eager faces await his words._

 _"My dear children," Valper begins to speak, "I bring you joyous news."_

 _There is a smile on Valper's face, one that Kiba knows is too fake to be true. Of course the priest's deception sails over the heads of all the present kids, and they lean forward in anticipation. Even the young Kiba is abuzz with excitement, nearly vibrating in his seat._

 _"As you all know, you are all candidates in the Holy Sword Project. The sword right here is a fragment of Excalibur, the holiest sword of them all."_

 _A beautiful sword, one that even Kiba does not recognize sits in its scabbard. He makes a mental note to remember its description and ask Irina or Xenovia about it later._

 _Valper trods over to the Holy Sword and makes a dramatic attempt to unsheathe it. There is only silence when it is apparent that he cannot do so._

 _"Regretfully," Valper begins to speak remorsefully, "I am not one of the chosen ones. The Lord has not deemed me worthy enough to wield a Holy Sword. In fact, nobody here was deemed worthy. You were all tested, and nobody here was found to be worthy enough."_

 _Heads hang low. Someone even sniffles. Kiba resists the urge to throw up. Yet despite all this, the young Kiba is still shaking with excitement._

 _Something is amiss, Kiba realises._

 _"Until yesterday."_

 _Alarmed, Kiba only begins to understand what is going on._

 _"Isaiah! Please come forward!"_

 _Against his will, the tiny body Kiba occupies leaps to its feet and walks towards the front._

 _Even Valper makes way for him as he approaches the sword. "Come. Show them what you showed me yesterday evening."_

 _No._

 _It can't be._

 _The Holy Sword Project was a failure, Kiba remembers. That's why everybody was killed._

 _A tiny hand reaches out to grab the hilt of a sword bigger than the size of Kiba's current body. It must be a comical sight for the others, watching a seven-year -old try to pull out a sword taller than he is._

 _But for Kiba, it is terrifying. Especially when the blade starts to move._

 _"Rejoice!" Valper declares in glee, "for the Holy Sword Project is a SUCCESS!"_

 _The crowd rejoices. A cacophony of shrill screams and delighted whoops._

 _As a seven-year old Yuuto Kiba stands triumphantly, trying his best to lift a sword only slightly lighter than him, a seventeen-year old Yuuto Kiba is thrown into turmoil._

 **'I do not understand why you are upset. Were you not anguished by the fact that your friends died for nothing? Now, at least, they will die for _something_.'**

 _Kiba's mind stops, knowing exactly what the Persona will say next._

 **'Now at least they will die for you.'**

* * *

Irina's concern at the empty spot at the dinner table was shared by everybody.

"Minato-kun," asked Rias, "where's Kiba?"

"Training," was his reponse. He wondered when Rias decided to stop being so formal with him.

"Won't he need to eat?" asked Xenovia.

"No."

The rest looked uncertain, not knowing what to say next. Raynare loved moments like this. When Minato's sheer disregard for normality and routine took everyone by surprise, leaving them gaping and completely unsure of themselves. Given how she was victim to this several times, watching others experience it brought no small amount of satisfaction to her.

She was starting to think Minato did it on purpose.

"Soooo," Akeno began, trying her best to change the topic, "I need help."

"I think we all do." muttered Asia. Judging by the bashful look she gave when everybody turned to look at her, it came out a little louder than she intended, and she quickly gestured for Akeno to continue.

"Sun Tze has given me a puzzle. And I don't know the answer."

At this, Irina and Xenovia came closer, and Minato noticed even Raynare leaning in to eavesdrop.

"He wants me to determine who our King is for the Rating Game."

When Rias opened her mouth to speak, Akeno cut her off. "And it's not you, Rias. He wants me to find out who our strategical King is going to be."

Rias crossed her arms and huffed. "Strategical King? What's _that_ supposed to mean? Isn't it still me? If I retire we still lose, don't we?"

Akeno sighed in dejection. "That's what I thought so too. But Sun Tze said that our King was the key to dealing with Riser's immortality. But I just can't see how Rias is instrumental on that front."

"Hey!" Rias looked offended.

"Don't worry, Rias. I'm sure I'll find a use for you in the Rating Game _somewhere_ ," joked Akeno.

"Back to the topic at hand, I think we should focus on what it means to be a strategical King." Even though she wasn't even involved in the Rating Game, Xenovia seemed invested in it.

"That's right!" agreed Irina, "then you can see who fits and tah-dah! You have your answer!"

Akeno nodded thoughtfully. "Hmmm, well obviously the King is the most important piece, right? That means the entire game's strategy would have to revolve around this person."

"Maybe its Issei-kun then!" Chirped Asia happily. "With his Boosted Gear, maybe he has enough firepower to defeat Phenex-san!"

The rest seemed to consider this. "That's something I considered," said Akeno, "but..."

"Won't work," interrupted the usually-silent Koneko. "Issei can't beat Riser."

Asia looked dejected. Irina looked enraged, "what do you mean Issei can't beat him?! Issei never gives up, he'll fight till the end!"

"Not enough," Koneko declared. "Riser has too many lives. Issei can only attack so many times before he runs out of energy."

"What do you mean, Koneko-chan?" asked Rias, "won't Issei's attacks get consistently stronger?"

Koneko nodded, "but they still only take one life regardless of power."

Akeno's eyes lit up in understanding. "I see... so Issei just won't be able to maintain the firepower required to outlast Riser's immortality." Then she slumped in defeat. "So that rules out Issei then. What about you, Koneko, did you learn any new Senjutsu or Youjutsu tricks that could be our hidden ace?"

The Nekomata shook her head. "My senjutsu gives me prolonged stamina, but not yet enough firepower to deal with Riser's defenses. I... will try harder in training."

Rias smiled gently at her. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay Koneko-chan? I don't want you to lose yourself the way your sister did."

Firm and sturdy resolution overtook Koneko. "I won't."

"Well, if it's not Koneko, Rias, or Issei, that leaves only Asia, doesn't it?" Pondered Akeno aloud.

"Me?" Asia pointed to herself in shock. "No, it can't be! I think you forgot about yourself, Akeno-senpai! Or even Kiba-san!"

"Hmmm... Asia, huh. Well its true that just like a King, she has nearly zero offensive capabilities," mused Rias.

"Rias-senpai! You can't be thinking I'm the King too!"

Akeno snapped her fingers. "I think I got it! The key to dealing with Riser's immortality isn't nullifying his immortality, but _replicating it_! With Asia's healing skills, as long as we don't get killed in a single attack, we become pseudo-immortals as well!"

As Akeno's words began to sink in, grins began to spread. Even Raynare began to nod her head in approval. The only exception was Asia, who sunk lower and lower into her chair as she began to understand her new role in the Peerage's strategy and the pressure that came with it.

"That's why she's King!" Irina exclaimed, "you guys need to protect her or you'll lose your immortality and, with it, the ability to match Riser's!"

"So Minato-kun," Akeno sent him a jubilant smile, "are we right?"

Half a dozen faces looked at him in anticipation.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Sun Tze didn't tell me anything about this."

The only one laughing after that statement was Raynare. Oh, how she loved moments like this.

* * *

 _Things were a blur after that 'sword in the stone' moment. Isaiah is no longer a Holy Sword Wielder candidate, but a Wielder himself. He is quickly removed from the other test subjects. There are tearful farewells, promises to write each other, and goodbye hugs. And then seven-year-old Isaiah is led away by men in white cloaks, all while the seventeen-year-old version in his mind is yelling for him to stop, to spend more time with the friends he never got to say goodbye to._

 _Valper is in the car waiting for him. The priest tells him that he is going to a place filled with special children like himself - the training ground of the other Holy Sword Wielders._

 _"Isaiah," Valper smiles at him mischievously, "you have to keep the Holy Sword Project a secret, okay? So you can't talk about the other kids, and you also can't tell them what we did to you. If anybody asks, you came from an orphanage and were born with this power, okay?"_

 _Naturally, Isaiah is confused, "why, Father Valper? They are my friends."_

 _Valper winks at him, "because they're a special surprise. And you know, you have to keep it a secret, because that's how surprises work."_

 _It sickens Kiba to see how easily his younger self buys that story, and the boy nods his head enthusiastically._

 _They arrive quickly._

 _There are less than a dozen of them, children of all ages, and an older woman that appears to be their teacher. Among the kids, Kiba instantly recognizes a young Xenovia, her trademark blue hair standing out from the rest, though it is far longer than he is used to, nearly reaching her hips._

 _The little kids defer their heads in acknowledgement to the priest. The older woman woman does not. Instead she scowls slightly at the priest. Inside, Kiba smirks. He is glad that even within the Roman Catholic Church, Valper Galilei is detested._

 _"Valper. What brings you here? Come to try to steal another one of my children for your abhorrent experiments again?" she sneers._

 _Valper isn't one bit fazed. Instead, he wears that fake genial smile. "It is nice to see you too, Griselda. Unfortunately, I have no idea what kind of experiments you are talking about. And I didn't come here to 'steal' anything from you. I come bearing gifts." The priest pats Isaiah, who looks up to Xenovia hesitantly. "I found him during my travels. He's a Holy Sword User. He's here to learn from you."_

 _Griselda actually looks surprised. "You_ found _a Holy Sword Wielder? And more importantly, you want to_ give _him to me?"_

 _Valper laughs, "Oh Griselda, I am hurt by how low you think of me. Of course I'll entrust him into your care. What else can I do with him? I certainly can't teach him to use a Holy Sword."_

 _The woman gives Valper one final look of suspicion, before kneeling down to meet Isaiah_ _at eye level._

 _"Young one, what is your name?"_

 _"Isaiah."_

 _"Where are your parents?"_

 _At first he doesn't know how to answer, but Valper nudges him slightly in the shoulder._

 _"I... don't know. I came from an orphanage."_

 _Immediately, Griselda's stern expression softens._

 _"I'm sorry. No child should live without a parent's love. But everything is alright now, you have a new family, and many of your brothers and sisters here also never knew their parents."_

 _And then she does something both Yuuto Kiba and Isaiah have never experienced._

 _She kisses him o_ _n the forehead._

 _While the older Kiba is taken aback and the sudden display of affection, the younger one immediately experiences an unfamiliar sensation, one that fills him with warmth and fondness._

 _Belonging._

 _Kiba feels immediate abhorrence. 'Are you kidding me?' he asks the Persona, 'I become a lackey of the Church?'_

 _The Persona gives a throaty laugh._

 **'You become much more than just that.'**

 _He doesn't have time to react to that statement, because Isaiah is suddenly swarmed by a crowd of excited little children._

 _"Neh, neh, you're joining us, right? Let's be friends!"_

 _"Yea, Isaiah, am I right? Welcome to Holy School!"_

 _"It's not Holy School, you dummy! It's Holy Sword School!"_

 _Unnerved by the sudden attention, Isaiah takes several steps back. The other children look wounded by his subtle rejection._

 _"Isaiah, what's wrong?" Xenovia asks._

 _"I... I have other friends already," he murmurs, pressing his fingers together as he avoids their gazes._

 _"So did we! But they're gone now, aren't they? We're not going to see them for a very long time, that's why we make new friends! So what do you say, Isaiah?"_

 _Faced with a sea of expectant-looking peers, young Isaiah can only say one word._

 _"Okay."_

 _'No. No. I wouldn't do that. I would never forget my friends. I'd never abandon them!' Kiba immediately understands the implication of his younger self's response._

 _As always, the Persona is always there to correct him._

 **'You would. And you did.'**

* * *

When Sun Tze appeared before her at precisely eight o'clock, Akeno had a smug grin on her face.

"I solved it."

"Yes, I heard."

"What's next?"

This time, Sun Tze was the one that was smirking.

"You tell me."

* * *

 **A/N: And we're done. A short and simple chapter to celebrate my return from Hiatus. You guys can look forward to a more regular update schedule again!**

 **As always, let me know your thoughts in reviews or PMs. Do Fav and Follow if you haven't already!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Sona looked at the stranger in her house. He'd been here for the past three days, diligently reading every book in her rather expansive library. Even if it was smaller than the one found in the Sitri estate in the Underworld, the library at her home in Kuoh was nothing to scoff at.

Books containing information from both the human and magical world lined the many shelves, and numerous stacks of them lay in neat piles next to the man's sofa, a staggering amount for him to have read.

She'd skirted around him, avoiding him as much as possible, maintaining only the smallest of conversations with him. She couldn't bring herself to speak to him.

He was her fiance after all, even if he somehow didn't seem to be aware of it.

 _"Sona. There is a man looking for you." Tsbuaki, her faithful Queen pokes her head through the doors of the Student Council Room. School has long since ended, but being the Student Council President does have its downsides. At the very least, with Rias and her Peerage gone, along with the enigmatic and downright scary Arisato Minato, some of her concerns are alleviated._

 _She looks at the calendar. She has almost forgotten. She is due for a chess match with a prospective suitor today. A Devil from a minor clan even she does not recognize. There are many like him, fools trying their luck to marry into the Sitri Clan. But she accepts all their requests, because talent doesn't come from blood._

 _The games are fast, forgettable, and usually disappointing. They do, however, provide a respite from the dreary paperwork she is buried in._

 _"Bring him in. I need a break anyway."_

 _When she first started out the 'beat-me-in-chess-to-marry-me' system, the first few games had been nerve-wrecking. Now they bored her. Devils, she realized, were not very intelligent, or at least the bachelor ones weren't._

 _The door opens and a stranger steps in. Tsubaki excuses herself. At first Sona says nothing about his strange style of clothing. Complementing his Asian features, the man is clothed in historic Chinese garments, complete with his hair tied into a bun. While Sona can't call herself an expert on modern humans, she is fairly certain that went out of fashion a century ago. Still, there are many eccentric Devils with eccentric fashion senses. A certain maid-clad Queen of Lucifer comes to Sona's mind._

 _"Hello, Miss Sitri. I need something from you."_

 _Sona narrows her eyes. The man reeks of arrogance. There are many Devils like him, pampered and spoiled, but there are always exceptions when that arrogance is backed up by ability. She will not let her guard down, especially since her life is at stake._

 _"You know the rules," she points to the chessboard, "beat me first. Then we talk."_

 _The man looks amused. "Those are... irregular rules. I've never played chess before, it'll be fun!"_

 _He eagerly sits down. "This is the Knight right?" he points to the horse-shaped Piece._

 _Sona cannot tell if he is joking or being serious._

 _"Yes," she says curtly. Whatever the man is doing, she won't let it affect him._

 _"You can play white," she offers._

 _"Are you sure? He who strikes first, strikes twice."_

 _"Consider it a handicap," she smiles. Perhaps there is some wit to the man in front of her after all._

 _The man smiles, and then spins the board._

 _"Rule one: Never take advice from the enemy."_

 _Sona's smile drops._

* * *

Tsubaki stood guard outside of Sona's house, waiting for the guest to arrive. Her lips were set in a grim line. How desperate must Sona be for her King to contact _her_ of all people?

She wondered when everything went wrong.

Oh right, the moment Sona screamed.

 _She bursts through the door upon hearing the terrifying shriek._

 _She is not prepared for the sight in front of her. She doesn't see a confident and collected King, a triumphant smirk on her face. Instead she sees a frightened little girl on all fours, screaming into the floor. Not even Serafall has succeeded in riling up Sona like this before._

 _Her eyes focus on the man sitting across her. He is smiling, throwing a cheerful wave at her. "She's a bit emotional, isn't she?" he laughs nervously, "I didn't think losing would make her this angry."_

 _Losing?_

 _She sprints to the chessboard. The pieces are scattered haphazardly across, but there is a clear numerical superiority for the black pieces. A black Queen stands menacingly in front of the White King. A black Rook blocks his escape path. The lone white Bishop that can rescue him has his path obstructed by a black Pawn._

 _She doesn't believe her eyes. She looks down at her distraught President, her King, her Friend. Only then does it sink in._

 _Sona Sitri has lost a game of chess to a man._

 _"Ah, I won, so that means you have to help me, right?" the man asks sheepishly._

 _Tsubaki wants to incinerate him on the spot. Does he not realize the gravity of the situation? Sona's entire life has just been turned upside down, and he wants to cash in the win now?"_

 _"Yes," a soft voice from below startles Tsubaki._

 _It is Sona. Her eyes are red, but there are no tears yet. She calmly takes a seat back on her chair, straightening her clothes and trying to pretend that her hands are not shaking yet._

 _"As per the agreement, your victory has earned you what you seek."_

 _"Sona..." Tsubaki says, but she is cut off by her President._

 _"A promise is a promise."_

 _"Great!" the man says gleefully, "let's go to your library!"_

 _There's a momentary silence._

 _"Um," asks Sona, "why?"_

 _"I like to read."_

 _"Okay then," says a subdued Sona._

 _As they walk out, it is almost inaudible. It is only because Sona's lips brush across her ears that Tsubaki hears it at all._

 _"Call my sister."_

Her little flashback was shattered when the air suddenly turned _very_ cold.

Serafall didn't appear in a shower of hearts and confetti as usual. There was no fanfare, no magical costume, no silly lyrics from her Magical Girl TV show. Serafall Leviathan was simply right in front of her all of a sudden, dressed in an attire Tsubaki could only describe as formal, something even she'd never seen the Satan wear before.

"L-Leviathan-sama," she greeted, surprised that her breath suddenly became visible and that her teeth had started chattering.

There was no smile, no pleasantries, Serafall only walked right past her and said, "bring me to him."

"Y-yes, Leviathan-sama."

* * *

Years had passed by. Kiba watched his alternate self consistently training with the other Holy Sword users. The process was sped up, of course, and it was a blur between training and sparring sessions, bonding moments, and even a few missions here and there. It was gradual, but Kiba watched Isaiah grow into a person he would never have associated with himself.

 _Isaiah is happy as he sits next to Xenovia, a drink in each of their hands as they relax after a grueling lesson. He's fourteen now, and memories of his life out of the church become dimmer everyday. He remembers faces, but not names, and the last letter came two years ago._

 _"Hey, Xenovia," he asks, "do you remember your real parents and family?"_

 _The blue-haired girl besides him swirls her drink before taking a sip. She shakes her head, "I only remember Griselda. She says I was abandoned at Church, and that I am lucky she discovered I was a Holy Sword Wielder before they sent me to a random orphanage."_

 _"Then do you ever wonder what it's like to grow up in a normal family?"_

 _"No, not really," she shrugs, "I like it here. Don't you?"_

 _Isaiah pauses long enough to see Xenovia's expression sour. "I do like it here! It's just... I miss my old friends. Yesterday, for the first time, I couldn't remember a single one of their names."_

 _For a while, Xenovia just sits still, and they stare at the setting sun. "Maybe," she finally says, "that's just your brain telling you that your heart has already moved on. They might have been your old family, but you left them, and I'm sure that some of them have forgotten you as well. But that's okay, because you've got us now!" she beams at him while saying the last part._

 _There is some doubt left in him, but there's a flutter of emotion in Isaiah's heart that causes him to push it to the back of his mind. "You're right," he agrees, "I've got you."_

"Are you kidding me?" asked Kiba, "This version of me likes Xenovia?"

Kiba couldn't actually see the Persona, but the way it replied almost made it sound like it was shrugging.

 **"Who knows? I never understood the concept of love. But by human standards, it isn't wrong to say that the girl is attractive."**

That sounded really... creepy, Kiba felt, and decided not to pursue this line of conversation anymore.

"So what happened to my friends? Did no one else become a Holy Sword User? I thought the Holy Sword Project was successful!"

 **"Not entirely. It was successful only for you. The rest of them remained the same."**

"Then..." dread began to pile up in Kiba's gut, and he asked despite knowing the answer already, "what happened to them?"

 **"Would you like me to show you?"**

For a moment, Kiba hesitated. He already knew of their fate, but would he be able to watch it all over again? Getting shoved into an enclosed room like animals and suffocating to death in a toxic mist afterwards. He steeled his nerves. This was something he needed to do. He had to know the truth. "Show me everything," he ordered.

The Persona did not respond, but the scene suddenly changed. No longer was he watching the alternate world through the eyes of his alter self, Isaiah, but now he was a ghost, watching two men walking down a marble hallway Kiba recognized was in the holy Vatican City itself.

He recognized one of them as Valper Galilei. The man had visited Isaiah with decreasing frequency, reminding him to keep the Holy Sword Project a secret, checking on his progress, and running a few tests on him. The other man he did not know, but the old age and the overly-flamboyant clothing pointed to someone senior among the echelons of the Vatican.

 _"Valper," the stranger rasps, "How goes the Project?"_

 _Valper sighs, "The results are discouraging. After Isaiah, none of the subjects seem to have demonstrated any further affiliation with the Holy Sword even though we increased the intensity and breadth of the... procedures. Cardinal Richard, we are running out of time, they are getting too old."_

A Cardinal? They were only one rank below the Pope himself, and Kiba never knew the higher-ups of the Church sanctioned such an atrocity.

 _The Cardinal stops, as does Valper. He mulls as Valper waits for instructions. "How are the children faring? The process young Isaiah underwent was far more lenient than your current methods, isn't that right?"_

 _Valper nods, "Out of desperation, we pushed many of them to the limits. Some of them have personality disorders, many have become despondent. There are more than a few psychotic breaks, and six of them have already perished, two of which were by their own hands."_

Kiba felt his rage build up. The last year of the Project was the hardest. There was direct and invasive human experimentation. The nurses were chased away, leaving only scientists to take care of them. Kiba and his friends were under-fed, mistreated, and sometimes even tortured under the scientists' desperation and apathy.

 _"Whatever happens," Cardinal Richard finally responds, "the Pope cannot find out about this. That man loves children too much. Do what you must to remove all evidence. Once you have finished, begin scouting out for new test subjects. Isaiah's success has showed us that success is possible, even if the possibility is small. Once we perfect this process, we will finally be able to raise an army of Holy Sword Wielders and humanity will be unstoppable. We will rally with Heaven, and we will destroy our enemies of old."_

 _"Yes, Cardinal Richard. The children will be silenced, then."_

Just like that? A single request from the Cardinal, and that's why his friends were all killed? And worse, there were going to be more batches? "The future groups of children... will any of them end up like me?" he asked, trying to contain his anger.

 **"No. In this world, you are the only success. Many children will die trying to emulate you before the Project is called off."**

Shame. Guilt. Helplessness. It was strange that Kiba was feeling all this even though this was not his world, but Isaiah's. He wondered how his alter himself would feel if he learnt of the price of his success.

"Why only me?"

 **"Because of your Sacred Gear."**

* * *

Minato watched Issei spar with his Persona.

He had asked Issei's teacher to mimic Riser Phenex and it had reluctantly done so, turning into its humanoid form and coating itself with fire and trying to incinerate Issei with it. It was merely a fraction of its true power, but Minato's plan had never been to have Issei fight on an equal footing with that Persona anyway.

The efforts of the past week of training had clearly been worth it. Issei's movements were cleaner, more efficient, more calculated. When dodging, he did not overcompensate and lose his balance. When attacking, he did not overextend and expose himself. When hit, the pain did not distract him with recently-built instincts instructing him to disengage before assessing the damage.

Asia was next to him, silently observing the fight. She'd been tense and even more focused ever since she discovered her critical role in the upcoming Rating Game.

"Riser-san's offense remains the same throughout the battle, but his defense decreases. But for Issei-kun, it's the opposite, that's why I have to make sure that I don't let Issei-kun down when I heal him," she kept muttering to herself.

Still, as he watched Issei sail into a tree, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. This wasn't his fight, was it? But he couldn't stand to see anyone forced into a life they didn't want. It was one thing to try and fail, but not having the option to try in the first place was something that irked him.

He wanted to ask Zhu Ge Liang if pushing the children this far was overkill. They were just fighting another child after all, and there was hardly a need to cause so much trauma. But when he called for the Chinese strategist, there was no response.

Strange. Perhaps having so many Personas summoned was affecting his connection with the Sea of Souls?

All of a sudden, he wasn't in the forest, pulled away by his subconsciousness and into Tartarus. Standing across him was Lucifer, the handsome red-haired man having only a loincloth and his Angelic wings protecting his modesty.

The Angel raised an eyebrow, "you look... disappointed."

"You're aren't the Persona I'm looking for," he countered.

"Ah, he's engaged at the moment. I suggest you try again later. He needs every single ounce of his attention for whatever he's doing right now, or so he told me."

Minato blinked and tilted his head, confused. "But I didn't summon him," he said.

"No you didn't," nodded Lucifer, "but he's taken the initiative to... manifest himself elsewhere."

"What?" he tried hard to hide is surprise. Not that there was a point, because Personas were a part of him and thus knew exactly what he was thinking anyway. "What's he doing?"

"Nothing," laughed Lucifer, "I promise you he's not scheming anything nefarious. He just feels that we have a stunning lack of knowledge of this world and went out to gather some information. It seems he's been quite successful."

That surprised Minato. His general ignorance of the world around him was something he had planned to address, but he did not expect a Persona to tackle it without him instructing him to do so.

Was this defiance? Minato wondered, or were the Personas so in-sync with him that they automatically manifested themselves to do his bidding?

No, he couldn't afford to doubt his Personas. They were all he had, and doubting them was the same doubting himself.

"So?" Lucifer leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, "what did you want to ask him?"

Naturally, Lucifer already knew, but he replied regardless.

"Is all this really necessary just for a Rating Game? I really don't believe it takes so much effort just to beat Riser."

"Just a Rating Game?" Lucifer repeated mirthfully, "a little girl's _life_ is at stake here. Then again, she's a Devil, so I can see your point."

Minato gave him a look that showed just how amused he was.

"Fine," sighed Lucifer, "I have an idea of what Zhu Ge Liang's planning."

"Tell me."

"You should know him by now. He's always playing the long game."

"What long game?"

The Angel scratched his chin, "what's that human saying again..." he snapped his fingers, "lose the battle, but win the war? Wait, that's not right, if we lose the battle, Rias will be forced to marry... Is there a saying where you win the battle _and_ the war?"

"Get to the point, _Helel_ ," he warned, using the Angel's now-taboo name to show his impatience.

Lucifer looked annoyed for a moment, "tch. Zhu Ge Liang's end goal isn't the Rating Game. He's training Rias and her friends so they can be strong enough to win what comes next."

"What... comes next?" he asked. To his knowledge, there was nothing that came next.

"I just said it, didn't I? The war."

* * *

"Can you feel it? The energy of the world?"

Koneko closed her eyes, letting her senses stretch out. Even without her vision, she could tell her teacher was sitting on a tree branch above her. After a few days of meditation she could finally detect the natural energy around her well enough to actually use it to 'sense' her surroundings. "Yes," she said while looking up at the Persona, who dropped to the ground gracefully.

"What does it feel like?" probed Tamamo.

"Warm. Fuzzy. Embracing."

"Feels nice, doesn't it? Like being in a warm bath?"

Koneko nodded.

"Now very slowly, entwine your own chakra with the natural chakra, as if two people are holding hands."

Koneko did as she was told. Serenity and peace took over her being. She suddenly felt more connected to the world than ever, and every sensation felt a thousand times clearer. She could hear the individual hairs on Tamamo's tails rustling in the breeze. She could smell the pheromones the ants crawling around her were giving off. Her hands, which were pressed onto the ground, could feel every grain of dirt so distinctly she could count them. This synchronization with the world, she needed more of it, and she began to pull it in.

"Stop. Don't tug on it yet. Control yourself. That's the most important thing when using Senjutsu. Pulling in too much energy will cause the malice to overtake you, and you will go berserk," Tamamo's warning cut through her serene mind, and Koneko immediately released the natural energy.

How careless of her. It wasn't the first time she was practicing this, though _that_ had been a disaster where she'd torn off Tamamo's arm. Thankfully, it seemed Tamamo had fully recovered since then, but she still couldn't resist the temptation natural energy had. She was starting to feel slightly ashamed of herself for failing to accomplish even this much.

"Don't beat yourself up. I know that look. It's not your fault. There's a reason why Senjutsu is hard. It's not like other powers, where you start off weak and become strong. For Senjutsu, all the natural energy around you is immediately at your disposal. A senjutsu novice has access to the same amount of raw power as a Senjutsu sage. What segregates them is their technique and their control," Tamamo explained. Koneko nodded in understanding, and the Nine-tailed fox continued, "now pull a little bit in. Just a tiny amount. And once you feel it enter your body, release it and let it infuse itself with your own energy."

Koneko did just as she was instructed. Like a fisherman, she reeled in the natural energy into her body, immediately stopping once she felt the smallest shreds of it entering her body. She let it mix with her own chakra, but there was no malice. In fact, she felt no different at all. Had she done it wrongly?

Putting one hand on her hip, and pointing to the sky with the other, Tamamo no Mae explained, "it's all about balance. Take in too little, your own chakra dilutes the natural energy to the point that nothing happens. Take in too much, and you go crazy and tear off my arm."

Koneko winced at that, taking note of the small amount of irritation in her teacher's voice at last part.

"Now, repeat the process, except now keep increasing the amount you draw in until you feel some change. But make sure your increments are tiny. The point of this exercise is finding the threshold where the natural energy actually becomes _useful_."

Koneko exhaled deeply, trying to keep her psyche as steady as possible. Once again, she reached out with her keen senses, letting her internal energy mingle with nature's. Then she began to pull it in. This time she permitted more than before to enter her body.

Again, nothing happened.

She kept up this cycle dozens of times, then hundreds, before Tamamo spoke up, "surprising, isn't it? How much natural energy is needed before it starts to take effect. But this is important, because once that malice hits, every little bit of excess energy you absorb will amplify it a thousandfold."

She remembered little from her rampage the other day. Her vision had gone red and all she felt was the desire to destroy everything. The next thing she knew was Tamamo's hand pressed against her forehead, sucking all the energy out of her, but not before she had ripped the other arm off.

This time she would control herself, Koneko muttered to herself. Even though she was braced and prepared for it, the malice still hit her full force and took her by surprise.

"Wha-" was all she could manage before she was drowning in a torrent of negativity.

"Koneko! Remember, control it! Don't let it control you!" Tamamo's warning cry was the lifeline Koneko grabbed onto to avoid being swept away by the torrent of ill-will.

 _Control_.

How was she supposed to control all this hatred? It engulfed her. A cyclone of malevolence surrounded her, and there was no way out. "I can't! It's too powerful! It's like a tornado is trying to blow me off my feet!" Koneko cried out, using one hand to suppress the murderous tendencies that were beginning to manifest in the other.

Tamamo was no longer next to her. Cracks began to form on the floor as she trudged her way towards the tree her teacher had taken refuge on. She couldn't stop her body from absorbing even more natural energy, and the metaphorical storm she was trapped in was becoming stronger with every second.

"Find the sweet spot, the eye of the hurricane! An anchor that will tie you to the ground!" Even though Tamamo was still advising her, her actions spoke a very different story. Orange spiritual energy began to extend out of her nine tails, forming thick whips of tangible magic, and they began to coil around Koneko, forming a protective dome that surrounded her.

 _'Find the eye,'_ Koneko whispered to herself, _'an anchor'_.

What was that even supposed to mean?

She had read stories before, of heroes and heroines that were trapped in similar situations. But always, just before they were overwhelmed, a buried memory, or a loved one's voice, or a familiar sensation always pulled them away from the brink. She needed something that would tie down her soul, something that represented her whole life.

 _Rias_.

She owed her life to the Gremorys, Rias in particular. It was Rias that took her in when she was branded a criminal. Rias who showed her kindness when the world spat on her. Rias who gave meaning to her life when everything she held dear was torn away. Rias was more than a friend, more than her master, Rias was her savior.

And Rias was going to save her from this madness.

From outside the cyclone, a lone figure broke through the wall of wind. A body any woman would kill to have. With her voluptuous curves, her flawless skin, and trademark eye-catching red hair, Rias Gremory would attract the attention of any room she walked into.

Koneko could only stare as Rias walked towards her, her hips swaying calmly even as she trod through a hurricane of hatred. She bent over so that they were eye-level, and patted Koneko's head reassuringly. "Don't worry, Koneko-chan. I believe in you, okay?" she smiled.

Koneko returned the smile and nodded her head.

She was still smiling even when she plunged her hand into Rias' gut.

Rias didn't react, the kind smile still on her face even as she faded into transparency.

It was only when Koneko looked down at her trembling hand did she realize what she had done.

There hadn't even been a internal debate. Her body had simply acted, driven by the malice coursing through her veins. And she had been completely powerless to stop it. How could she save Rias from the marriage even she couldn't even protect her friend from herself?

She couldn't protect anybody, she realized as she crumpled to the floor. She was weak, and _she_ was the one that needed protection.

 _'I love you so much, Shirone. More than you can ever imagine. You're the most precious thing to me.'_

 _Shirone_.

No matter how much she wanted to be Koneko, that was who she was. She was Shirone, sister to the bloodthirsty, psychopathic, mass-murderer Kuroka. She was just like her sister.

 _'I'd do anything to protect you. Even if it means that I have to destroy everything else.'_

A nostalgic smell of lilies enveloped her. She basked in the aroma, and memories of a carefree time came pouring back. She missed Kuroka. She missed how her sister would sit behind her and comb her hair, how she would wrap her arms around her when she was done and and nibble on her ear.

And then Koneko had lost her. Lost her to the evil and the hatred that formed the bedrock of the world. Senjutsu. She almost hated it for taking her sister away. But Senjutsu was only a tool, and tools could not be blamed for what their wielders did, even if Kuroka had destroyed their lives in her Senjutsu-caused rampage.

 _'to protect you.'_

The winds stopped howling. The storm dissipated. The mist cleared, revealing a shapely woman in front of her. Two cat ears twitched, and long black hair trailed past her shoulders and onto her generous cleavage that was showing through her loosely tied kimono. Twin tails swished behind her.

"Onee-san," Koneko whispered, and whatever she wanted to say next died in her throat when her sister embraced her.

Shell-shocked, it was all she could do to keep breathing.

 _'I protected you, Shirone,'_ Kuroka pulled back as she smiled forlornly, and Koneko realized that she was starting to fade as well.

"Onee-san! Don't leave me again!" she clambered to return the hug, only to gasp when her arms passed right through the apparition of her sister.

 _'Now you need to save me.'_

Her heart skipped a beat. What did Kuroka just say? She looked up from her empty hands, but Kuroka was gone.

The storm was returning. The breeze began intensify into gusts, and Koneko could feel the enmity building up in her again.

Was that the eye of storm? Kuroka? Her sister was her anchor?

It felt so real. As if... that really had been her sister.

But before she could think any further, the mystic dome of Tamamo no Mae collapsed on her, and she felt all the energy within her become sucked out.

Koneko blacked out.

* * *

The sudden change in temperature caused him to put down his book. Sona felt disturbed by the look of disinterest the man gave her. As if she were a mere object.

The expression didn't change even when her sister stepped in front of her protectively. To anyone else, Serafall Leviathan might have looked calm and composed, serene, even. But Sona knew better. She knew how upset her sister was at the mere thought of losing her.

Still, to be completely unaffected by a Satan's presence, her fiance was either a very good actor, or a very arrogant man. She was starting to feel it was the latter.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, his eyes darting back to the book on his lap wantingly.

"You can," Serafall replied, making her way over to the empty seat across him and sitting down. They were separated by only a small wooden table. "Play with me."

Before the man could voice further questions, the moisture in the air began to freeze, and a checkered board constructed from ice appeared, with frozen chess pieces standing tall and defiant on it.

The man closed the book and put it on the floor. He picked up the King on his side and brought it up to his eyes, seemingly unperturbed by Serafall's frigid ice-magic. It was completely transparent, frozen water so clear it could have been glass. Then he put it down and looked at Serafall's pieces. "Transparent is white, and bubbly is black?" he asked.

Serafall picked up her own King, where millions of tiny air bubbles trapped within it gave it a whitish color. "Correct."

"Stakes?" he asked.

"Your agreement with my sister Sona is nulled if I win."

"Hmmm, but I like what I have here," then he smiled coyly, "and if I win?"

"You become my Queen, and gain access to whatever privileges and powers the name Serafall Leviathan bears."

Sona gasped. Tsubaki dropped the tea in her hands. Even the man looked momentarily stunned.

A Satan's Queen. Her sister was willing to sacrifice that much for her. Sona repressed the urge to scream. Such a move... it would have tremendous impacts on already-strained Devil politics and society. Her sister knew nothing of this man, but yet Serafall was willing to make him Queen just to save her? Either way... Sona was safe. But at what cost?

She shook her head, ridding her mind of such thoughts. There would be no cost.

Her sister wouldn't lose. Serafall Leviathan, contrary to her appearance, was as sharp as a knife. Every year without fail, on Sona's birthday, Serafall would be there, all magical-girl pretense gone, and they would play chess. Every year without fail, Sona would lose in under ten minutes, and Serafall would revert back to her childish self and coddle her while proclaiming her eternal love for her.

Her sister would not lose to the man in front of her.

"You're a Satan?" the man asked.

"Yes," Serafall said, looking slightly confused, "you did not know?"

The man scratched his head sheepishly, "No I did not. I am not a Devil you see, and I've only read your name, but never seen your face. You look very young for a ruler of the Underworld. Nothing like what Sirzechs looked like."

What. Sona's mouth dropped.

Serafall's eyes widened.

Tsubaki fainted.

"Not... a Devil?" Serafall whispered.

Sona already knew the implications, and her heart was fluttering with joy.

"That means the marriage agreement is cancelled!" She declared in jubilation.

"You're safe, So-tan!" Serafall flew out of her chair and into her sister's arm, her formal attire disappearing into a frilly pink dress with accompanying fireworks. "You don't have to marry him after all!"

The sisters were so caught up in their embrace that they almost didn't register the words of confusion uttered by ex-groom-to-be.

"Why would she have to marry me? All I wanted from her in the first place was to just borrow her library."

Almost.

* * *

It took a long while for things to settle down after that. Between Sona's indignant cries, Serafall's uncontrollable laughter, and Tsubaki's ensuing puzzlement after regaining consciousness, they finally cleared up the misunderstanding.

"Well there was really nothing for you to be worried about, I never wanted to marry you anyway," the man said reassuringly at the end.

Sona chuckled nervously, shrinking back as she anticipated her sister's ensuing reaction.

There was a bang as a foot smashed onto the table. Serafall was bending over, looking at the man straight in the eye. "You mean to say... my sister isn't good enough for you?" With every word, the room got chillier, and their breaths became visible by the end of it.

The man squirmed in his seat, not out of fear at the display of power, but simply at the lack of space between him and Serafall.

Their noses were almost touching, their eyes locked onto one another, and their foggy breaths formed short-lived misty walls between them.

"I suppose by mortal standards... Sona can be considered attractive," she flushed at that, "but as a Persona, I don't really get sexually or romantically attracted to anything so..."

Sona snapped into focus with that one word, and she sensed Tsubaki tensing up next to her as well.

"Persona?" Serafall asked, "what's that?"

"A manifestation of thought. A fragment of a personality. An extension of one's will. Imagination come to life."

Serafall narrowed her brows, looking at the man in front of her in a new light. "And who exactly imagined you?"

The man laughed. "Nobody. I am very real. You will find my name in ancient texts, in modern textbooks, in fabled legends. But if you wish to know where I come from, the two girls behind you already know." He gestured towards Sona and Tsubaki.

"Arisato-san," Sona said cautiously, "he sent you here."

The man gave her a wry smile. "Not exactly. He doesn't actually know I'm here."

At that, Sona felt somewhat surprised. She did not know Personas were autonomous, free-thinking beings.

"Ah," Serafall nodded in sudden understanding. "So this is what Sirzechs was talking about. I didn't know he meant it so literally. So?" she asked, "which Persona are you?"

The man smiled and gave a humble bow. "Legendary Chinese tactician, Zhu Ge Liang, at your service."

* * *

"I hate this."

"Good. It is always the bitter medicines that do the most good," the Persona replied.

"I hate you."

"Many people do, but that has not helped them much in their conquest to defeat me. By the way, you have five seconds left to make your move," Sun Tze said while looking at the imaginary watch on his hand.

Akeno growled. She dodged his spear, then used her wings to put distance between the two.

"I move my rook from E8 to E5," then without pausing she launched a volley of lightning at Sun Tze, who expertly weaved through them unscathed.

"Tsk tsk, not paying attention, are we?" Sun Tze smiled, "my Knight takes your Queen at F4. Checkmate."

Akeno cursed. She rescinded her wings and descended to the ground, exhausted.

Sun Tze sauntered towards her, a genial smile on his face and a glass of water in his hand. She took it gratefully.

Returning the empty cup to him, she sighed, "If I can't even beat you in table-top chess, what makes you think I can handle verbal chess while fighting you, _all while under a time limit_?"

"Beat me?" the Chinese hero laughed, "that's not going to happen anytime soon," he said to Akeno's chagrin. "That was never what I was trying to do here. I'm not like Bael, I don't demand the impossible."

Akeno winced, partly because she knew it was true, partly because she could only pity Rias. "Then?"

"Your Peerage has little experience fighting against other Peerages. You rely on set pieces and tabletop strategies. No war is like that. Things will change just like that, and you will need to adapt fast or you will lose. Making decisions in the heat of battle is what differentiates the good and the bad tacticians. You will need to learn how to juggle between your role as a strategist and your role as a fighter."

"And your skill with the spear? Aren't you some scholar, or like a general?" she asked, still unconvinced.

Sun Tze simply laughed. "If the General does not lead, how can he expect his men to follow?"

Akeno raised an eyebrow. "I thought that quote was about the King, not the General."

"Psh," the Persona scoffed, "any King reckless enough to expose himself like that will not be King for long."

"Doesn't that apply to generals as well?"

"I am still a soldier in the end. We die so no one else has to."

Akeno remained silent for a bit. Somehow, the Persona seemed slightly distant when saying that, as though he wasn't really speaking to her.

"Come," he finally said, "if you can ask so many questions, your mind is still energetic. That means we can continue to play."

Akeno groaned.

* * *

 _Isaiah is sparring with Xenovia._

 _He is fifteen years old now and, despite puberty, he is only slightly taller than her._

 _Xenovia is clearly winning. Not because she has superior skills- they are equally talented with the blade - but because she has the superior weapon._

 _Durandal. The legendary sword of Roland only recently allowed her to wield it, and Griselda watches at the side, traces of pride on her face as Xenovia swings it around._

 _If only she wasn't swinging it at him, Isaiah sighs. He is using an ordinary sword. It is made of fine metal, but against a magical sword, it might as well have been made of cardboard. His sword cannot take Durandal head-on. He deflects instead of blocking, dodges instead of parrying, and retreats instead of pressing._

 _It only delays the inevitable._

 _A sudden kick to the gut sends him reeling when he is caught off guard. By the time he has recovered, he sees his reflection in front of him. The blade of Durandal is so polished and magnificent that he wastes precious milliseconds gazing at it. By the time it registers, he has barely enough time to react, and only his newfound instincts from a decade of training training save him._

 _He raises his arm and his mundane blade takes the blow for him._

 _It shatters in an instant, but it slows down Xenovia's attack long enough for him to roll out of her striking range._

 _She looks annoyed. Given how she had expected that to attack to finish the round, she struck with the flat side of Durandal, giving Isaiah just enough time to escape._

 _He smiles at her. Even though he has no weapon, that battle is not over yet. They have trained their hand-to-hand combat skills almost as much as they have their swordsmanship. Xenovia has never beaten him in that, however._

 _Then he bursts towards her direction. It is almost like watching a dance. He bobs and he weaves, he leans and he ducks, he jumps and he rolls. His hands are distractions - he is focusing on his feet and body, using any means necessary to avoid her attacks. He had never intended to win a sword fight with his hands. Instead, he wants to reduce it to a fistfight. Xenovia is tiring; Durandal is draining for her to use. He just needs to survive another minute or two, and Xenovia would be too tired to wield Durandal._

 _Then the battle is his._

 _His opponent lifts up her sword to strike it down. Her arms are quivering from weakness, and the blow is driven more by gravity than her muscles. He grins. Her last strike. He shifts his weight, preparing to slide away from her final attack._

 _But the floor of the training area is old. Very old. Weakened by sword strikes and age, the tiles below him crack, disturbing his balance. That disturbance is all that is needed for him to fall flat on his buttocks instead of sliding away. Durandal is now inches away from his face._

 _For the first time since the battle started, both fighters feel fear. They are not alone. There are gasps from their fellow students, and he can see Griselda racing towards him. Even she might not be fast enough._

 _Like before, his arms move up instinctively to block the attack, except this time he is not holding a sword._

 _Time slows down. He can see Xenovia straining to call off the attack, but her arms only have enough strength in them left to alter Durandal's course instead of stopping it. A small consolation at least. He will lose an arm instead of being cleaved into two._

 _He closes his eyes, preparing for the worst._

 _There is a clang, and things suddenly become very cold._

 _Where there were screams earlier there is now silence._

 _Isaiah opens his eyes._

 _Surprisingly, he is intact._

 _Even more surprisingly, there is a sword in his hand. It is unlike any sword he has ever seen before, but most importantly, it is blocking Durandal. At first he thinks it is made of ice. Then he realizes the sword is just naturally so cold that all the water vapor in the air has frozen upon touching its frigid blade. The handle is surprisingly warm, and he realizes that everyone is now looking at him, their eyes bugged out._

 _"Isaiah..." Xenovia mumbles, still in shock._

 _Suddenly she flinches and drops Durandal. It clatters to the ground uselessly._

 _"Cold," she winces, eyeing the grounded Durandal in bewilderment._

 _"I..." he doesn't know what to say. He has no idea what is going on either._

 _But he does know one thing._

 _"I win?"_

"No," Kiba said to himself after the whole vision was over, "you've lost everything."

* * *

Perhaps being dragged out of school wasn't so bad after all, Minato realized. In fact, if he looked at things in a certain angle, he could consider this whole training trip as an all-expense-paid natural retreat.

If he ignored the sounds of explosions, Issei's cries of agony, and Asia's panicking voice, things were fairly calming and peaceful in the mountains. Peaceful enough for him to take a walk.

So that's what he did.

Surrounded by nature, engulfed in the orchestra of fauna, Minato strolled through the woods. Sitting there and watching Issei get pummeled over and over again became boring fast. Walking also helped him think, and he had much to think about.

What had Lucifer meant when he said there would be war? He had tried asking, but the Persona kept mum on the subject, saying that him knowing would only hasten its arrival.

What war? With the power he held, he knew that conflict would be inevitable sooner or later, even in this new world. Heck, he already fought Kokabiel. Did his Personas know what was to come next? Or were they simply being paranoid? Did their time in the Great Seal, even if his memory of it was particularly murky, affect them that much?

The sight of three girls in front of him cut his thoughts short. Irina and Xenovia were standing in front of Raynare, the latter of which he noticed was not wearing a top. Their positioning was... compromising. They two Exorcists were looking at him in surprise, though with every moment their faces grew slightly redder. Strangely enough, the most exposed of the three did little more than blink her eyes rapidly.

"Yo," Raynare said casually, waving her hand.

He made a hundred-and-eighty degree turn. "I'll be leaving now." So this was how Angels Fall.

"Wait, it's not what it looks like!" Irina denied shrilly.

Xenovia tilted her head, "I do not understand. What does this look like?"

A sly grin on her face, Raynare began to whisper into her ear.

She became flustered immediately, and averted her gaze away from him.

"Pervert," she sneered.

He raised his eyebrows incredulously. He hadn't done a thing. He stared at Raynare in accusation, who put on her best innocent-looking face. Then he turned to Irina, who was still looking at him indignantly.

"Humor me then. What were you doing?" he asked.

"We were trying to help Raynare restore her powers!" Irina declared, to which Xenovia nodded.

Raynare dodged the looks he gave her. "It's kinda boring... you know, not being able to fly and stuff."

"She told us you summoned a high-class Angel to seal them," Irina continued, "we wanted to see it." She pointed towards the marking on Raynare's chest. "We don't recognize this. It is not Michael's nor any of the other Seraphim."

They wanted to know. He saw no good in telling them.

That had felt like ages ago. He remembered the person Raynare was before Lucifer judged her. The Raynare today was definitely better. The sadism was still there, the shamelessness and crass attitude was there as well. But Raynare had improved.

"Do you want me to remove it?" he asked Raynare softly, trying his best not to stare at Raynare's exposed breasts.

" _He_ would allow it?" she asked, deliberately hiding the identity of the Persona.

He shook his head. "Unlikely. But just because he was the one that put it there does not mean he is the only one that can take it off."

Raynare put her shirt back on, her face stuck in concentration. She was considering it, though he wondered just what reservations she had towards it.

Very slowly, she looked up.

"Do you think I'm worthy yet?"

He had not expected her to ask that so honestly. The look she was giving him killed him. Full of hope, yet ready to be disappointed at the drop of a hat. She was laying herself bare to him and everyone else.

With that single question, she had exposed her soul to him. The least he could do was reply with sincerity and honesty.

"No."

And then he walked away.

* * *

"Um, Raynare-san" Irina asked hesitantly, "what exactly did you do to get sealed?"

"Bad things," Raynare replied coldly, letting the other two she wanted to leave it at that.

"Do you regret doing them?"

Raynare paused for a moment. Did she?

"No. I don't."

She still hated humans. Detested them with a passion. They were an inferior race that should've never been created. Their lives were meaningless - it didn't matter if she killed them or not.

Yet Arisato Minato called himself human. And despite everything being his fault, she could not bring herself to hate him. His power had nothing to do with it. It was just the way he was, so aimless, so whimsical, so despondent. Sometimes she even pitied him. It almost seemed as though sometimes Arisato Minato had nothing to live for.

The irony was not lost on her. The one human being she would and could not kill, was probably the one human prepared to die at anytime.

Her answer bothered the two Exorcists. Clearly they had not expected it.

She relished the conflict in their eyes. Here they were, children of God, sitting next to a Fallen Angel. Humans were not God's biggest mistake. Fallen Angels were. She was a defective good. A child that bit the hand that fed her. She was proof that God and his creations were not perfect - that God was not as infallible as humans and Angels had thought. Then again, the girls were aware of God's death, so that last bit should not be as much of a surprise.

"Did you ever do... good things?" ventured Xenovia.

What was this, an interrogation?

She snorted. "I was an Angel once, you know. Of course I did. I was once virtue personified."

"Then I suppose we can't call you a bad person then, can we?" laughed Xenovia, "you're normal then. Normal people do good deeds _and_ bad deeds."

"Normal?" she arched an eyebrow, "what's that mean? I have to do good things and rack up karmic points to regain my powers?"

"Who knows?" Irina wondered aloud, "in all my reading I've never even heard of something like this before."

Arisato Minato. That was who knew. And he had said she was not worthy.

She had come to accept that Arisato Minato was normally right about most things.

"Hey Raynare." The Fallen Angel twitched. Since when did these girls get so comfortable with her? She was an Angel, a higher life-form, they should've been kowtowing her. Even adding "-sama" at the end of her name would've been acceptable. "Why did you Fall?"

She clenched her fists. The question was inevitable. She knew it was coming. It must have been the first thing they wanted to ask her.

"You wouldn't understand," she turned away.

Irina crawled in front of her. "Then make us understand."

Big, violet, doe-eyes blinked at her. There was a stubbornness that was unique to humans buried within.

She was tempted to just leave. But that would only be delaying it. They would pester her for it until she satisfied their curiosity.

"Because God was wrong," she finally said.

The girls looked like they had been slapped. but they kept their retorts in their throats.

"You humans never met him," she continued speaking, "you think of him as an all-knowing, all-powerful being. The creator of the world."

"And you're saying he's not?" Xenovia asked, almost challengingly.

"Those are stories!" spat out Raynare, "how could he have created the world if there exists beings even more powerful than he is?"

There was silence as her words sunk in. They could not refute that, because God was dead, and only something more powerful than He was could have caused that.

"What beings?" Xenovia asked.

"Monstrosities that you can't even begin to comprehend. Entities that God could never hope to beat. Entities that could destroy the Earth instantly anytime they wanted to. Entities like Arisato Minato."

She let the silence hang in the air after she was done speaking. For all the power that he'd shown, Raynare was certain that Arisato Minato had so far only revealed a fraction of his true power.

"And because He was not the strongest you lost your faith?" Xenovia asked.

"No. I told you, didn't I? I lost my faith because He was wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

"About _you_ ," Raynare replied bitterly, "He admired humanity. Saw within your kind something that made Him love you more than He loved us, His own children. He put His faith in you, and ordered us to bow our heads before you. It was humiliating. Meaningless. Unfounded. There is nothing special about your kind. Nothing worth protecting. Nothing worth _dying_ for. And yet we did. Our perfect bodies became the shield that protected mankind from the other races that sought to enslave you. He should have let your kind alone. Then at least we wouldn't be in this mess we're in now."

"You don't like us very much, do you?" Irina frowned.

"Of course I don't. You are liars. You are savages. You are ignorant and conceited. You are only one step higher than animals, but still you do not belong to the realm of the sentient."

"I'm sorry."

Raynare looked up in surprise. "What for?"

"I'm sorry that someone had to hurt you so bad that you feel that way about us."

Raynare froze. Of all the reasons she anticipated, the correct one was not among them. "I don't need your pity," she muttered as she left, not turning back at all.

* * *

"To wield power, you need _strength,_ " Bael rumbled.

Rias nodded.

"To acquire strength, you need _pain,_ " Bael continued.

Rias gulped.

"To withstand pain, you need _discipline_."

Rias nodded again.

"To maintain discipline, you need _purpose_."

This time, Rias was confused.

"So I ask you, Rias Gremory. Why do you fight?"

"To protect," she said firmly, "to protect those who are important to me. To protect my precious friends and family. To protect my own future and identity." She had seen enough Japanese Anime to know her answer. It was only when the main characters had something to protect did they become much stronger. That notion resonated with her.

"That is a stupid reason," Bael snorted mercilessly.

He raised a hand to silence Rias' objection. "I will tell you a story. And you will listen to my story. And then you can speak."

She didn't like it, but she nodded anyway. "Fine," she let a single word escape her lips as an act of defiance.

Bael glared at her, as much as a black silhouette with no face and fireballs for eyes could glare anyway. She feigned ignorance.

"Before Heaven was created, there was only darkness and chaos. The different Races warred over forgotten reasons. And there was one Race that stood out, one even the Dragons were wary of: Demons. And there was a Demon King," he began. "He was not a kind king, but he was a good king. Under him, the Demons were feared. They were a powerful race: disciplined, strong, united. The king was not a fan of peace. But neither was he foolish or reckless. He was a patient king, one who only struck when the time was ripe. He did not engage in senseless war, and only played his hand when there was something to be gained. The Demons flourished under his strict, but prosperous rule. The king knew that Demons were ill-suited to fight as an army. He preferred sharpening individual skills rather than strategy and teamwork. The strongest under him became his generals."

Bael raised a hand, and from the dark mystic energy that coated him, a tiny human figure was born.

"His name was Satan, and he was the most promising of all the generals. But the King did not trust anybody, especially him. He knew many coveted his throne, and everyday he continued to train and hone his abilities to protect his throne. The king did not grow complacent. His power grew every day. Because his intention was to protect himself, and not to destroy others, he did not know when he was strong enough. But importantly, he did not know when he _wasn_ ' _t_ strong enough."

As he spoke, the humanoid figure dancing on his palm began to morph. Its head became elongated and horns spiraled out of it, like a ram. A tail grew out, and its feet shortened into hooves.

"Satan trained too. But he trained with a real purpose: to defeat the king. And because he had a goal in mind, nothing could stop him. He cast aside the form he was born with, surpassing his physical limits. He made sacrifices too steep for the king to replicate all for the sake of power. In the end, his drive to defeat the king caused him to grow faster than the king, and when the time came, he emerged victorious."

Bael clenched his fist, crushing the wispy caricature of Satan. "You say you grow strong to protect. But even the strongest shield will not stop your enemies. Nobody is scared by a shield. They will only stop in their tracks if what stands in front of them is certain death. If you train with the mindset of protecting what's dear to you, you will never become stronger than those who can do you harm."

Rias narrowed her eyes. "You want me to fight for the sake of fighting."

"War brings progress. The fear of death is very good motivation to become stronger. Look at your brother and then look at you. That is the difference that war makes. Find a target. Train. Defeat the target. Repeat the cycle until nobody is left. That is how your brother became so strong."

She knew that the power gap between herself and her brother was nearly insurmountable. They called him the Strongest Devil Ever Born. That included Devils like the original Satans. She paused.

"That story. Is it true?"

Bael shook his head. "I do not know. I am a Persona, a manifestation of Arisato Minato's, born from the myths that existed in our old world. There are no Dragons or Gods or Demons there. But they exist in this world, and apparently, so did I. I do not know how one Satan became four, and when Demons renamed themselves Devils. But I do know that the Satan who calls himself Lucifer today will destroy me as effortlessly as the Satan in my story."

"He got his strength from his desire to protect Devilkind. You are wrong."

Bael laughed, "that is what he tells you."

"Are you saying he lied to me?" she asked defiantly.

"I am saying he lied to himself," Bael said, "he is no different from Satan. He gets his strength from his desire to destroy. That is why the Power of Destruction is so compatible with him."

"You're lying. He hates fighting. He only fought to protect what's dear to him."

"Did he succeed?" Bael asked without pause.

Rias took a step back. "What?"

"I asked if he succeeded."

"I..." she said uncertainly. Sure, her brother and his allies won in the end, but she knew there had been heavy costs on both sides.

"How many friends died in his arms? How many of his men did he have to sacrifice? How many times did he fail to protect them?" Bael pressed on, " _How much of his desire to protect was actually a thirst for vengeance_?"

"He's not like that," she denied, though it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself more than Bael.

"Really?" Bael sounded amused. "Let me ask you a simple question then. Don't you ever wonder why your brother is so protective of you?"

"I..." Rias hesitated, "don't know where you're going with this."

Bael cocked his head. "I mean, have you ever asked if your brother had other siblings before you? And if he did, what happened to them?"

She had never asked that before. But now she had the sudden urge to.

"He would tell me if he did," she said firmly, "he would never hide something so important."

"Really? You still don't trust me?"

"Why should I? You're a Demon."

"So is your brother. And so are you."

She glared at him.

"I will ask you one final question. What will happen if I were to kill you here and now?"

She gulped. She could feel Bael's killing intent starting to focus on her. She could see the ensuing destruction in front of her eyes already. She'd caught a glimpse of it when Kokabiel had invaded. It would not be by her or even Bael's hand. It would be done by Sirzechs Lucifer.

"He would go on a rampage seeking revenge," she said softly.

"And isn't that when your brother will fight at full power, at his very strongest? When he has nothing left to lose?"

Rias refused to answer that.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys. We're finally wrapping up the Training Arc! As mentioned before, the wedding Arc won't be so in-depth it'll be snippets of fighting and commentaries by Minato and Devils.**

 **Also, do check out my new naruto story, the unlucky twin!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

It'd been a while since everyone had gathered in the lodge for a meal. For once they weren't looking at Minato oddly, something he was grateful for.

In fact, none of them were even looking in his direction. Everyone's gaze, including his, was directed at the strangely-dressed girl who had teleported unannounced in the middle of their meal.

"It's me!" The pink-clad girl waved a toy wand, "Levia-tan!" She did a twirl, smacking several people with her very long hair which was tied up into two very long pig-tails. She was short. Her face was childlike. Her attire was something only little girls in their 'princess phases' would wear. Only the sizeable bust on her small stature let him know that the strange being in front of him was in fact, a physically mature lady.

"Uh," mumbled Issei, his eyes still fixed onto her chest, "hi?"

She totally ignored the greeting, basking in the stunned silence of the room before raising a hand and pointing at him. "You," she said, "you look the most suspicious."

Really. After everything that just transpired, _he_ was the suspicious one.

"Therefore, you must be Arisato Minato."

An incredible leap in logic, yet somehow she was right. "I am," he nodded.

She nodded her head sagely, looking quite pleased with her deductive capabilities. "I found something you dropped along the way. I'd like to return it," she smiled.

Oh. That explained things. His hands reached down to his pockets, checking to see what possession had fallen out and landed in... wherever such beings came from.

Surprisingly, they were right where they should've been.

At seeing his flummoxed reaction, she continued, "I'm fairly certain it's yours. It said your name."

He looked to the others in their room. They had varying reactions. Akeno, Rias, Koneko, and Kiba were sniggering like children. What was so amusing about this?

Meanwhile, Asia and Issei looked as lost as he felt.

However, the Exorcists and Raynare had their faces as white as sheets, and were slowly backing up into the kitchen. They were... scared?

"Could you uh... describe it?" he asked.

"Tall, cocky, Asian, bearded, kinda smart? He wears a funny hat too." She paused, trying to remember. Minato palmed his face. "Oh! And he likes to stroke his beard."

"Where is he?" he asked, actually feeling slightly worried. Why wasn't Minato able to contact him, and why hadn't he returned? Had he been captured?

"Right here," the strange girl said casually.

From out of nowhere, she pulled out a huge chunk of ice. Trapped inside of it, his face still stuck in an expression of concentration, was Zhu Ge Liang.

"You froze him," he said incredulously. Then he shook his head. This was no simple freezing spell if it could completely trap a Persona. He walked up towards the ice block, realizing that he felt no difference in temperature as he neared it.

Then he surprised everyone when he put his palm on it.

"No, don't do-" even the girl tried to stop him, but her voice faltered when she realized her warning came too late.

He felt no pain. If his eyes were closed, he would have felt no different at all. But they were wide open and he saw his arm explode into a fine red hail that clattered into the floor.

That... had been slightly reckless of him, on hindsight. Water expanded upon freezing, but he hadn't expected the water in his arm to freeze so... _violently_. He could feel the stares on his back. It seemed nobody else had foreseen such an outcome except the visitor herself, who looked very troubled.

"It's fine," he told her, the Personas in his mind already clambering to repair the damage. She looked like she was about to say something, completely baffled at how a missing limb was considered 'fine'. But when steam hissed out of the stump, she kept quiet, silently observing his arm regenerate instead.

"That's faster that I can do it," she pouted when he was done.

That little statement was still hardly as disturbing as the block of ice in front of him that entrapped his Persona.

"What is this?" He asked. Zhu Ge Liang was still alive. He could still feel the faint connection in his mind, but it was nothing more than a token link.

"Absolute Zero," the girl said with pride, "my strongest sealing skill. Do what you want, you won't be able to break it!"

Was that a challenge he was hearing? Still, the name of the ability was more than enough to him wary.

Absolute Zero, or negative two hundred and seventy-three degrees centigrade, the lowest possible temperature achievable in the universe - and it was purely theoretical. At this point, it was not a lack of heat, but an absence of it. The atoms and particles that made up the universe would have zero kinetic energy - it was as though time itself had come to a halt. No wonder Zhu Ge Liang had become inactive.

Now the only question was how the Persona had gotten into this troublesome situation. And more importantly, how to get him out of it.

"Your demands?" he asked. He wasn't stupid. She wanted something in return for freeing his Persona. Otherwise she wouldn't have gone to all the trouble in the first place.

"When you're done with Rias, train my sister!" the girl smiled.

"Is she in trouble as well?" he asked.

"Uh, no?" the girl looked as though he had asked a stupid question. "But I can't have her losing to Rias in the future! I have a reputation to maintain!"

He frowned. He was not a charity, dishing out free lessons whenever people asked for them. It irked him slightly that the girl thought she had him dancing on her palm.

A thin smile made its way to his lips. She had offered him a challenge, hadn't she?

His mind raced through uncountable Persona. He did not know which one would best suited to the task. Fire-based Persona were unlikely to be able to melt the ice, and he was certain even his coldest Personas were incapable of achieving Absolute Zero without killing most of the inhabitants in the room.

The smile grew wider as the perfect candidate appeared.

He raised an arm. He had no intention of touching the ice block again - at least not with human flesh. He gave the Persona sovereignty of his newly formed arm, and human skin hardened to form scales made of glimmering precious stones.

His arm became thicker and elongated, and the bones within vanished to give it a slithering form. His five fingers morphed into five hissing snake heads with rubies for eyes, a miniature crown sitting on each of them. Five heads was nothing - its true form had a thousand. But Minato was only trying to destroy an ice block and not the universe, so five heads would suffice for now.

"Um, Arisato-san," Issei pointed, "your arm's a snake."

"I know," he said.

In front of him, the strangely-clad girl narrowed her eyes, fixing all her attention at the serpent that had been born from his flesh. He could see the warrior that hid behind the childish get-up, the battle-hardened gears in her mind whirring as she assessed the threat in front of her.

"You should not have that," she finally said. "That does not belong to you. That is Vishnu's snake, isn't it?"

He ignored her, preparing himself for what was to come next. Re-writing reality was always difficult.

The snake reached out, gliding through the air effortlessly as it slithered towards Zhu Ge Liang's frozen form.

Nothing happened when the Persona made contact with the ice. Absolute Zero meant nothing to a deity that existed before Creation. Then it began to coil around it, its many heads sticking out their forked tongues that licked the ice as it did so.

There was no doubt in his mind that the Persona could free Zhu Ge Liang. And it showed when the snake completed its first coil.

The ice began to thin. Such a price did not come without its consequences. The world seemed to scream, and a sense of _wrongness_ emanated from the magical ice block. He could see it, the way the woman frowned. The way the Devils shuddered suddenly. The way the Exorcists reached for the non-existent weapons at their hips.

They knew what they were looking at was an impossibility. An anomaly. An act even more improbable than achieving Absolute Zero. He was not melting the ice. He was doing something far more remarkable.

"That's cheating," the girl folded her arms. "You're breaking the rules."

"What rules?" he asked.

"I don't know!" The girl suddenly stomped her foot, like a child throwing a tantrum. "The rules of the universe! The laws of space-time continuum! There has to be some kind of charter that bans messing with time the way you are doing now!"

"Messing with time?" At once, Kiba's eyes lit up, and he repeated the stranger's words. Hmm, of course it would strike a chord with him, given the Persona training him and the experience he'd been force to go through.

"Well," Akeno laughed nervously, "I don't think Minato-kun cares very much about the rules. He's always been sort of a... rebel."

That wasn't true at all. He believed very strongly in social order and justice, and idly he wondered what he'd done to earn that kind of impression from Akeno.

Meanwhile, Rias eyes were still fixated on the spectacle before her, and very quietly, she asked, "Arisato-san. You're not melting the ice, are you?"

"No," he said.

"Then what exactly is that snake doing?"

"Snake? Calling that _thing_ a snake is like calling me a Devil."

He turned. He hadn't expected the response to come from the strange girl. But now that she'd mentioned it, who exactly was she?

"What do you mean, Serafall?" Rias asked.

Minato's eyes widened in recognition. Serafall. Serafall Leviathan. One of the four Satans. "I'm also Sona's sister, by the way," the girl waved at him when she saw that he'd finally identified her. He blinked in surprise. Like Rias, Sona had a Satan for a sibling as well. No wonder Rias could speak to the Satan with such familiarity - she was the sibling of a childhood friend. Serafall redirected her attention towards Rias. "That's no snake," she laughed, "that's a Hindu primordial deity of creation. The _first_ snake, at least in the Hindu Pantheon."

The Persona could speak if it wanted to, but doing so would divert focus from its present task - and leaving Zhu Ge Liang trapped for any second longer than necessary was undesirable. Instead, Minato spoke for it. "Ananta Shesha. A servant and manifestation of Vishnu. When he uncoils, time moves forwards and Creation takes place. You can imagine what happens when he does the opposite."

Slowly, their heads turned back towards Shesha, who had continue to grow longer, still connected to Minato's shoulder, and had wrapped numerous times around the block of ice. Zhu Ge Liang was already beginning to thaw, with his fingers sticking out and twitching erratically. With every additional encirclement, the ice grew thinner, and it was only then that the others present in the room realized just what Arisato Minato was doing.

With Absolute Zero, Serafall Leviathan had more or less stopped time. With Ananta Shesha, Minato had reversed it.

They were stunned into silence and Serafall sighed. "Please don't tell me you're going to coil him all the way. I am legally obligated to respond in force if I witness anyone trying to destroy the world. I have heard the legend that the Universe will cease to exist if Vishnu's pet snake decides to coil itself again and I would rather not have you test its authenticity."

There were no more smiles. No more mischievousness in her voice. No more pretense of childishness. This was a Satan in front of him, a leader of the Devil Society, akin to a god. And now she was fully embracing the authority that came with the position to speak to him.

"You can always release him," he offered.

The Satan pursed her lips. She snapped her fingers and the rest of the ice shattered as Zhu Ge Liang tumbled onto the floor in a coughing fit. He kept to his word, and Shesha began to recede back into his mind, and his normal human arm was connected to his shoulder once more.

"Sirzechs was right," Serafall said when the Persona was gone. "There is a new player in the field. We haven't had to adjust the power rankings ever since God died," she sighed, "and as the Satan in charge of foreign affairs, I'll have to be the one to liaise with the other pantheons. I wonder who will get bumped off, maybe Thor? Or maybe one of the Indian ones. There are too many of them in the Top Ten. Who was number Ten again?"

As Serafall began to talk to herself, Minato immediately re-established the link between himself and Zhu Ge Liang. The Persona immediately recalled himself back into the Sea of Souls, and the memories of his little tryst with Sona hit him with full force.

Minato resisted the urge to burst into laughter. And then a darker thought hit him. Since Personas were technically him... then for a period of time, wasn't he the one that was engaged to Sona?

"So now you know what your minions were doing behind your back," Serafall walked up towards him. "Sona was quite upset. She even threw away her pride and asked me for help, even if there isn't much I can do besides dangle the offer of a Satan's Peerage."

"I apologize," he replied, trying to keep his tone as level as possible. Then the subsequent memories hit him. There had been a second chess game, not with Sona but with Serafall. He looked at the childlike Devil in front of him, who was observing him with her nose scrunched up. And suddenly he felt much more wary of the girl in front of him than before. Because behind those deep violet eyes was a mind that rivaled - maybe even surpassed - that of the famed Chinese tactician. Zhu Ge Liang had been on the verge of losing, and had been attempting to escape when she'd frozen him.

"Wait what happened to Sona?" Rias asked in concern. The other members of her Peerage perked up visibly as well.

"Oh nothing much," laughed Serafall, reverting back to her childish demeanor. "Just Minato-kun here broke her heart when he beat her in chess and refused to marry her. So mean, right?"

"You beat Sona at chess?" Rias asked in surprise.

Before he could reply that it was all Zhu Ge Liang's effort, Serafall suddenly snapped her fingers. "Speaking of weddings, Rias, isn't yours only in two days time? I got the invite already, you know? Riser's planned for the ceremony to be held the moment you lose your Rating Game. He must really like you."

The mood in the room suddenly darkened again. "There won't be a wedding," Rias said solemnly, "we'll win."

"Ah yes," Serafall's eyes darted towards him. "Sirzechs told me all about your new teacher. Well, do you think he's done enough?"

"You bet!" Issei declared happily, "Arisato-kun's the best!" Idly, Minato wondered if Issei had even realized who he was speaking to yet. "I learnt a new move yesterday, and I'll totally roast that stupid Riser dude's ass into fried chicken!"

Ah yes, Issei's new technique. The boy had stumbled upon it by accident during training. Minato had to admit, the results were quite spectacular, and the forest was now pockmarked with many craters in his attempts to master it. If only it didn't have the unfortunate side-effect of blowing off his arm. Then again, with Asia around, that shouldn't be that big a problem.

He paused. When did he develop this nonchalant attitude about dismembered limbs?

"My Peerage is more than ready," Rias said confidently. "We've all grown leaps and bounds, and our abilities have definitely improved greatly."

Kiba smiled.

Asia nodded her head.

Koneko bumped her fists together.

Akeno put a reassuring hand on her King's shoulder.

Serafall clapped her hands with glee. "Really? That's great to hear! Let me see then! Fight me!"

And then a magical circle engulfed the members of the Gremory Peerage and they vanished, leaving only Minato, the two exorcists and Raynare in the lodge.

"Huh," he remarked, noting the half-eaten meals left on the table. "They didn't even get to finish eating."

* * *

"Arisato-san," Xenovia asked suddenly, "what religion are you?"

He looked up from the book he'd randomly picked from the many shelves. It seemed the Gremory Family, or at least Rias, was a fan of Japanese Manga.

"I'm not religious," he said.

"Figures," Raynare rolled her eyes. "He has who-knows-how-many gods in his head and he doesn't believe in a single one of them."

"Believing in all of them is the same as believing in none of them."

"I guess that's kind of true," Irina sighed, slumping onto the chair next to him. "And it'll be difficult to choose, right?"

"Yes..." he said, unsure of where the conversation was going.

"Arisato-san," Xenovia said, her voice all serious and grave. She crawled up towards him, giving him a generous view of her cleavage which he tried his best to avoid. "Start a religion, please."

If he'd been drinking anything, he would have spat it all out. But he wasn't, so all he could manage were rapid blinks and a slackened jaw.

"What?" Everybody except Xenovia asked at the same time.

"Start a religion," Xenovia repeated, completely serious. "I will follow you. And I think Raynare will as well. I know that Irina will not stray from the path of Christianity, but I have found my faith shaken by recent events."

"Don't lump me with you, you psycho!" Raynare snapped as she recoiled away from the blue-haired psycho.

"Xenovia, how can you say that? Are you really thinking about turning your back on God?" Irina immediately got up to kneel in front of her friend, clutching her hands as she did so.

"God is dead, Irina. The Church is run by men and Angels who hide the truth from us. I do not want to be in an organization like that."

Minato watched the exchange with no small amount of discomfort. What exactly was going on?

"I am being serious, Arisato-san." Xenovia leaned up to him. "Gods, Angels, and Demons alike bow to you. I have witnessed you performing miracles. And..." at this point she paused and the slightest tinge of red appeared on her cheeks, "you are not a bad person. In all my life, you are the closest thing I have seen to God."

"Xenovia..." Irina back away, tears starting to well.

"Crazy," Raynare muttered to herself, "absolutely insane."

"I am human," he protested firmly.

"And the Lord had Christ," Xenovia coaxed, "and like you will, he became so much more. Like you, he performed miracles."

"And look what happened to him," Raynare snorted, "hung across a piece of wood like a common criminal."

The image of a human chained to a cross appeared in his mind.

For the briefest of moments, he saw another person hanging from chains, dangling on a great wall in the darkness.

 _The Great Seal_.

He sat straight, put his book down, and then stood up.

"I am going to my room," he declared, his tone firm enough that the none of the girls dared to follow him.

The moment he reached the staircase and out of their sights, he collapsed against the wall. Flashbacks were assaulting him from all directions. Unending waves of Shadows that tainted the world black. Infinite Personas spilling out of the Sea of Souls and into whatever tormented reality he had been in to do battle with them.

 _The Great Seal_

 _Erebus_.

At the very mention of its name, something dark stirred within him, and Minato knew he was due for another visit into the Sea of Souls. He climbed up the stairs, painfully and slowly, one step at a time. Once in the privacy in his room, he locked the door and collapsed onto the bed, his mind sinking into the Sea of Souls the same time his body did into the soft mattress.

This time it was more than just Lucifer. Tartarus was packed with Personas, though it was so silent he could hear a pin drop. They were all there, looking at him in anticipation.

Lucifer stepped up. "I see you've remembered the beginning."

He clutched his head, trying to drive the images of a cataclysmic battle out of his mind. "Beginning of what?" he asked.

"The beginning of the end. How you climbed up Tartarus and you found out the truth of the world."

The truth. He remembered the Truth. Nyx and Ere-

"Stop." Lucifer instructed. "Do not even think of their names. Names have power here, and their owners are powerful enough as it is." As if on cue, the Tower began to rumble slightly, and mild alarm broke out among the Personas. "The link between him and you has been re-established. There is nothing we can do about it anymore."

Minato closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he was in a different place. The frozen set of doors in front of him emanated a sense of darkness that he now recognized as the foreboding aura of Erebus.

"You are still fighting him," he concluded.

"We take turns," said Lucifer as he appeared beside him. "And not just him. There are others, too," the Angel added quietly.

"Like who?"

"I cannot say."

He clenched his fists. "Why?"

"Names have power. You knowing will only make it harder for all of us. That is why we kept this from you in the first place."

Minato grimaced. Erebus was very powerful. And now that he could establish a link with the embodiment of human negativity, he could feel its power growing. That only begged his next question. "Why have we not lost?"

"The entities that live behind this door... they do not draw their power from you, but from the world itself. They do not bend or rewrite reality, they _are_ reality. The Sea of Souls is isolated from the world. There is no human race for him to draw malice and hate from. Starved of his power source, he is weaker than before. It is only a matter of time before things start turning towards our favor. However, should you ever choose to manifest him... things would become very different."

That was good to hear, he supposed. But something still bothered him, a nagging feeling that something was not quite right and that Lucifer was not being perfectly candid with him. Erebus was still receiving malice, he was sure of it. But from where?

"You do not want to know," Lucifer broke eye contact when he asked.

"I do. Something in this Tower is leaking malice. We must stop it. Who is it?" he said firmly.

Lucifer looked up, his expression far more grave and far more serious than he'd ever seen before.

"It's you."

Minato stared at Lucifer. Lucifer stared back, his gaze apologetic.

"I do not understand," he finally said.

"It is best you do not," the Persona sighed. "It is time for you to return. The Leviathan's eccentric successor has returned with your allies."

It took a few moments for Minato to realize Lucifer was referring to Serafall. He had completely forgotten about the real world, too troubled by the events occurring within his own soul.

"We will talk about this next time," he said.

Lucifer nodded. "Next time. For now though, just leave things to us."

* * *

Minato hadn't been expecting to view the Rating Game from the VIP gallery. It was Sirzechs who teleported him here, and he was surprised to see Serafall and many others he did not recognize as well.

"With the wedding to be held right after the Rating Game, it is more exciting to allow all the guests to watch the Game itself, no?" a man who introduced himself as Riser's father said when he first arrived and Sirzechs had commented offhandedly on the sheer number of viewers. He looked like an older, more dignified Riser. There was an undercurrent of confidence, but not so much that it bordered into arrogance. Minato had only been in the room for a few minutes, but he quickly learnt that the general consensus was that Rias would lose. Unsurprising, given the stark difference in experience between both sides.

"It's her first game," Rias' father, Zeoticus Gremory, frowned, "I do not think she appreciates all the spectators."

"It is fine, father," Sirzechs smiled. "She does not know. And more importantly, it is good that so many people will see her first Rating Game victory."

Even without the red hair, Minato would have identified Zeoticus as a relative of Sirzechs immediately. Barring the older man's well-trimmed beard, their looks were almost identical, only with Zeoticus' hair straighter and tied into ponytail. Devils, it seemed, aged very well.

"You seem so confident," Zeoticus sighed, "is this human child so good a teacher?"

They were all seated on a semicircular arrangement of sofas, with Minato plonked right at the center - courtesy of Sirzechs. There was TV screen in front of them that broadcasted the battle arena - an exact replica of Kuoh Academy - and behind them was a plain of glass that housed the regular guests one level below. Since the Game had yet to begin, up until that point, everyone had been engaged with small talk. However, with that last statement, everyone broke off from their conversations to stare at him, as if finally realizing his presence in the room.

"Human?" he heard someone whisper. "What's he doing here, then?"

"They do not know about your unique abilities," Sirzechs whispered into his ear, "so please don't kill them out of irritation."

He arched an eyebrow at the strange request. How low did Sirzechs think of him?

"I think you've entered the wrong room, boy", an older Devil sneered, "the main viewing area is downstairs."

"He's with me," Sirzechs intervened before anyone could respond. Oh, so it was the Devils that Sirzechs thought little of. Already, he could feel their disdain for him. He shouldn't be surprised, many of his Personas weren't particularly fond of the human race in general either.

"That's right," chimed in Serafall from where she sat, still dressed in her outrageously frilly costume. She pinched her thumb and index finger together, "Minato's my good friend. In fact, you can say he's _this close_ ," she squeezed her fingers even tighter, "to being family." She winked at him. He smiled slightly at the reference to Sona's annulled marriage arrangement. It was slightly reassuring that he had allies here, even if he could probably take on the whole room and emerge victorious.

The room seemed to calm down after two Satans vouched for his presence.

"Ah, you are Rias' teacher." Lord Phenex suddenly nodded in understanding. "Riser told me she had procured herself an enigmatic human to be her mentor. How human sorcery and magic can help her, I must admit, I do not know." His eyes glinted with amusement, "but I am most curious to find out once the wedding is over."

"There will be no wedding," he declared firmly. "Rias will win."

"What makes you say that?" someone asked. The green-haired man seemed disinterested, more focused on the tablet computer on his lap than the conversation around him. Yet after he spoke, the whole room remained quiet.

"That's Ajuka. The Satan who wears the title of Beelzebub. He's a friend of mine," Sirzechs said quietly.

No wonder the room seemed to defer to him. Nevertheless, Ajuka Beelzebub had asked a question and Minato would answer it.

"Because she had the best teachers," he said.

A few people scoffed. Some looked offended. Ajuka Beelzebub had no visible reaction. Instead he continued typing, only stopping to drink from a cup that had been placed next to him. "Is that so?" he asked. "I look forward to meeting them then, when she wins."

"Teachers?" Zeoticus asked, emphasizing the 's' at the end. "I thought you trained them."

"I had help from a few friends," he shrugged.

"Humans?"

"Some of them, yes."

"Curious. It is rare for human magicians to interact with other races. Normally they are very secretive and keep to themselves."

Sirzechs and Serfall did not correct him, and Minato saw no reason to clear up the misunderstanding in everybody's mind that he was a magician.

Before they could continue, there was a siren, followed by an announcement that Rating Game was beginning.

* * *

For a moment, Rias wished she wasn't a Devil. Having a god that she could pray to was something she desperately needed right now. She opened her eyes and the familiar sight of Kuoh Academy, even if it was replica built just for the Game, helped calm her raging nerves. This was her first Rating Game, and the stakes were already so high.

She glanced up, knowing that there were invisible cameras documenting her every move. There were definitely viewers, though she had no idea how many. And given the nature of this Rating Game, there had to be many important people watching as well.

Somebody squeezed her hand. It was Akeno, and her best friend offered her a reassuring smile. "We can do this. We had the best teachers, right?"

Rias nodded her head. "Yes, Arisato-san would be quite disappointed if, after everything we went through, we still lost." Akeno nodded in agreement, though Rias noticed that the black-haired beauty was already lost in her own thoughts, no doubt running through the countless strategies she'd shared yesterday in her mind. A product of her training.

It had been an ordeal for all of them. She could tell that her Peerage was still exhausted, even if the past two days had purely been for rest and recovery. They were different, each one having changed from whatever hellish training regime their own Persona mentors had put them through. The results had spoken for themselves, and Rias had found herself more than awed when they had shared the results of each of their trainings during the impromptu bout with Serafall.

Koneko seemed more confident, more outspoken. She had a fire in her eyes that told Rias that she was just waiting to test out her newfound powers in battle. Senjutsu. Somehow, Koneko had overcome the mental blockade that had halted her in the past, and had finally dared to delve into the power she had been born to use.

Then there was Kiba. The handsome boy had hardly spoken a word in a week. Yet, Rias was happy for him. He finally looked to be at peace. This was the real Kiba, calm and quiet. There was no need to resort to his outgoing and charming persona to distract himself from the horrors of his past.

Asia, too, seemed more confident in her abilities. Her personality was still meek and non-confrontational, but she offered Rias a determined nod when she looked at her.

She tried to suppress the feeling of jealousy that arose. In a span of two short weeks, Arisato Minato had done things to her Peerage that Rias had tried and failed for years to achieve. She was tempted to throw Gasper at him once this whole wedding fiasco was over. But that wasn't right, she'd accepted Gasper as her own responsibility - she should be the one to fix him.

"Buchou," she turned and she smiled. Issei, despite having gone through the worst training of them all, hadn't changed in the slightest. Still happy, still talkative, and - she noticed the boy staring at her chest - still as perverted as ever. Something told her Issei wasn't the type who would change easily. He would always be... Issei. "Let's go kick some Phoenix butt, yea?"

"Yes," she nodded happily, "let's go and do just that."

As she walked towards the Occult Research Club - their home base, Riser had claimed the Principal's office as his own - Rias noticed the calm mood that had descended over the Peerage. They had trained and bled for this, and yet Rias could hardly feel the pressure. To her, it felt just like an ordinary walk to their clubhouse with her Peerage after a long day of lessons.

* * *

Sona Sitri watched the huge screen in front of her that rivalled the biggest human cinemas with rapt attention. They'd been surprised when her whole Peerage had received invitations to watch the Rating Game, only to be shocked when it doubled as invitations for the wedding that would be held directly afterwards.

Knowing that Irina, Xenovia, and Raynare had grown somewhat close to the Gremory Peerage during their prolonged camping trip together, she had managed to procure invitations for them as well from Lord Gremory. Now the three of them sat next to her, clearly being extremely uncomfortable given that they were in the heart of enemy territory.

"That's another Devil on the wanted list," remarked Xenovia, her hands twitching and longing for the familiar feeling of Durandal.

"Shhhh, stop staring!" whispered Irina, "we don't want to attract their attention!"

"That one Devil's been staring at me for the past five minutes," commented Raynare offhandedly, "what's his problem?"

"Probably just thinks you're cute or something," Sona said absentmindedly, her eyes still fixed on Rias as the Gremory Peerage lined up on the big screen.

"No, he's looking at me pretty intensely. In fact... he looks kind of familiar."

"Raynare-san" Tsubaki warned softly, "stop staring back. It can lead to misunderstandings."

Sona tuned out their conversation when the start of the game was announced. Immediately Rias and her Peerage began setting up wards and barriers around the Old School Building. That was the meta for modern Rating Games - fortifying the home base to prevent premature enemy Promotions, and thankfully Riser was doing the same.

"Oh, I know! I fought him during the Great War, I think? Stabbed him in the thigh with a light spear." Sona turned just in time to catch Raynare waving at a random Devil. Said Devil scowled and turned away. "Yeap," the Fallen Angel nodded, "definitely him. I wonder what he's up to nowadays?"

"Can you focus on the game? Stop trying to incite a second coming of the Great War!" snapped Sona.

Unperturbed, Raynare laughed, "calm your tits, Miss Sitri Heiress. When both Arisato Minato and Serafall Leviathan say that Rias Gremory is going to win, you can rest assured that Rias Gremory is going to win."

Sona froze, as did the entire table, when Raynare said that.

"Uh, Raynare?" Irina tapped the Fallen's shoulder, "I don't think they knew about the Leviathan."

"What happened?" Sona demanded quietly, making sure word of a Satan's involvement did not leak to the other tables, "why is my sister involved in this?"

"Your sister came to visit during our last day to return to Minato his uh... Persona?" Xenovia ventured. Sona nodded, knowing exactly what the Exorcist was talking about and hoping her face wasn't going red at the mere mention of that embarrassing incident.

"And then?"

"And then one thing led to another and Rias and her Peerage ended up fighting the Leviathan. It was on friendly terms, but we did not get to witness the spectacle itself."

"What?" the Student Council gasped together.

"That idiot," Sona rubbed her eyes, "doesn't she realize the consequences of her actions?"

"Uh," said Irina uncertainly, "are you talking about Gremory-san or your sister?"

"My sister. Rias. No wait, both." Sona decided, "What happened next?"

"When the fight was over, the Gremory Peerage returned exhausted but strangely triumphant."

"They won?" Sona asked in disbelief.

"No, the Leviathan won of course. Instead, they were elated that they actually hurt her." At seeing the incredulous looks on the Devils' faces, she elaborated, "it seemed the Leviathan let down her guard and suffered a small cut to her arm. Needless to say, Rias and her Peerage were very pleased to have been able to draw blood, though your sister insists that it was intentional."

"That... is difficult to swallow," Sona adjusted her glasses after processing what Xenovia had said. Serafall Leviathan was ridiculously strong - every Satan was. Even hurting her was a rare feat for the strongest High-class Devils. Only those that tread the line of Ultimate and beyond had a decent chance of inflicting injury on her. And somehow Rias and her Peerage had accomplished such a vaunted task.

"You will find it more believable once this battle is over," Xenovia said, pointing at the screen.

* * *

Vali felt excitement building up in him, the first time in a few weeks. The lead Kokabiel had given him had turned out to be a dead end. Arisato Minato had left the city for several days, according to his little break-in into Kuoh Academy to find him. Still, he had a home address and he could always revisit the issue at a later date. The Kuoh Affair, as Kokabiel's failed little rebellion had come to be known as, was something the Grigori higher-ups wanted shushed, and even the old coot Azazel hadn't been willing to tell him a thing.

Vali wanted to meet this human boy, the one that had single-handedly driven off an entire Fallen Legion and ruined decades of planning. He would have stayed in Kuoh a little longer to wait for the human, if only a more interesting piece of news hadn't caught his ear. His eyes scanned through the multiple television screens on display, searching for his new prey.

Sneaking into the Rating Game had been easy. With so many guests and so little security, bypassing the guards had been child's play. Once inside, it was only a matter of moving around and mingling for Vali to remain incognito.

He could feel the butterflies in his stomach. He was always itching for a fight, but this was _different_. Vali didn't believe in destiny or fate, but he was close to finding something he'd been searching for his whole life.

 _'An eternal rival_ '

Albion's voice brushed against his consciousness, and he let loose a wicked grin. Someone he could fight against with all his strength, someone who would grow as fast as him and always pose as a challenge. Someone who he could finally call an equal.

And finally, he saw it. The Gremory Peerage had finished setting up their defenses and began to walk out of their base, their weapons drawn and their guards up. Or in the case of one brown-haired boy, his red gauntlet armed and ready on his forearm.

When he first heard the wielder of the Boosted Gear was making his debut in Devil Society, he had literally dropped everything and caught the next train to the Underworld. After that, it took him only a little bit of digging to learn that his sworn enemy was a member of Rias Gremory's Peerage, who was due to have her first Rating Game against Riser Phenex. An interesting match up no doubt, but if Hyoudou Issei was as strong as he hoped, it would be an easy curb-stomp in Gremory's favor.

Vali tried his hardest to hide his excitement. If this Hyoudou Issei could at least achieve Balance Breaker... perhaps he might actually find reason to quit the Khaos Brigade.

The Dragon within him stirred in anticipation, finally identifying the unique scent of a long-lost foe.

 _'Ah, Draigg,'_ Albion purred, _'at last we meet again.'_

* * *

Issei shuddered. "I have a feeling someone's targeting me."

In front of him Koneko frowned and closed her eyes, using Senjutsu to replace her sense of vision.

"There is nobody around us," she said after a moment. "Perhaps you are just nervous, Issei-senpai," the Nekomata said calmly.

Issei couldn't believe the cat ears and the tails when he first saw them on Koneko during the fight with Serafall. His mind had screamed _Kemonomimi_! And it was only after a solid three minutes of perverted fantasizing later that he remembered they were fighting a Satan. Now though, his desires had been replaced by the goal of saving Rias from her shitty arranged marriage, and he paid the additional animal parts on Koneko little more than a second glance.

"Riser will most likely be using his numerical advantage. He will spread out his Peerage, trying cover more ground while gaining information on our whereabouts. Once the location of our King is confirmed, his Peerage will regroup and he will target Rias," said Akeno, who hovered slightly above where Koneko and Issei were running. "That is when we must strike the Phenex party. Individually, his pawns are nuisances. However once they start working together, they become a serious threat. We have to get them while they are split up, whittle down their numbers while we can."

Everybody nodded. Akeno had become the de facto shot-caller, and even Rias did not mind following her Queen's strategies. "We have fewer people," Akeno continued speaking, "so we cannot do the same. Isolated, anyone of us can be overwhelmed and eliminated. Stick together."

* * *

Sona pursed her lips. The discussion between Peerages were being broadcasted and she was slightly disturbed at how proficient Akeno had become at analyzing the battle. While Rias' Queen was a good fighter with a good head above her shoulders, tactics hadn't really been her forte in the past. As a matter of fact, tactics hadn't been the Gremory Peerage's forte at all, period. That had been one of Sona's advantages over Rias, but it seemed that might no longer be the case.

She looked at the overview map. Judging by the movement of the pieces, Rias would be encountering a pair of Pawns soon. She glanced at the screens showing Riser's Peerage.

Ni and Li, the twin pairs of Nekomata were homing in on Rias' positions. Given their heightened senses, it was fair to assume that the twins had a rough estimate of their opponents' location, while Rias' Peerage seemed to be completely unaware. Koneko's sharp nose would not help, not when the wind was blowing in the wrong direction.

 _"Two,"_ Koneko said softly onscreen, _Nekomatas, Chakra-users, coming this way"_

Sona blinked in surprise. How had she known? And it was only then, when the cameras zoomed out and they finally showed Toujou Koneko in full, did the whole Student Council let out a gasp.

"Nekomimi!" cried out Saji in delight.

Not the exact words in her mind, but Saji was correct. The cat ears and the tail that had sprouted out of Koneko's body was something they knew about, but had never seen before.

"Senjutsu," Sona concluded after a moment of thinking. "She has finally learnt to use it."

"Senjutsu?" Saji asked, "is it strong?"

Sona nodded her head. "Extremely so."

* * *

Toujou Koneko could feel the natural energy flowing through her veins and her chakra pathways. It was an exhilarating feeling, especially since the violent instinct to destroy everything in sight was no longer present.

 _"Again?" Tamamo no Mae asks in surprise, "do you know you took in enough Senjutsu to destroy a mountain? You were dangerously close to crossing the point of no return by the time I stopped you."_

 _"Again," Koneko repeats._

 _Tamamo no Mae looks at her suspiciously. "You saw something, didn't you?"_

 _Koneko nods._

 _The Persona sighs. "You know, the world is a very cruel place. Sometimes it shows you something that you think is your anchor, but when you discover it isn't, you only end up deeper into the abyss."_

 _"I know," Koneko says. "I stabbed Rias."_

 _Tamamo no Mae doesn't have any visible reaction. "And what?" she says in return, "you want to go back to correct your mistake? Forget it, you can't force Rias to be your anchor if she isn't already."_

 _"No," Koneko shakes her head, "not Rias. Kuroka. She was there afterwards. She made me feel safe."_

 _"Kuroka?" Tamamo tilts her head, before her eyes light up in recognition. "Your sister right? You think she's your anchor?"_

 _"That's what I want to find out," she says, the determined blaze in her eyes not taking no for an answer._

 _Tamamo seems to think about it. Without another word, the mystical dome that incapacitated Koneko earlier returns, and just before it seals shut, Koneko hears the cheerful voice of her Persona-mentor. "I want to know too! Good luck Koneko-chan!"_

Koneko took a deep breath. This was the moment she'd been waiting for. The reason why she'd been willing to venture into her past and face her ghosts. The reason why she'd embraced something she'd so vehemently opposed previously. The reason why she accepted herself as Shirone, younger sister to Kuroka. She would prove to everyone that Kuroka wasn't a psychotic murderer. She would use Senjutsu to protect those she loved, and show the world that Senjutsu wasn't just about the destruction that Kuroka had led them to believe.

There was a reason why natural chakra had so much hate in it. It wasn't because the world was a merciless and cold place. It wasn't because malice formed the bedrock of power. Mastering Senjutsu didn't involve filtering or removing the hate. Mastering Senjutsu required the _embracing_ of the hate. To take in all the hate and return back only love. The world was not a kind place - that was reflected in natural energy and in the vicious circle of life. That was something Kuroka had always known, and something Koneko had only recently learnt. That was something all Senjutsu masters needed to learn. That they could not change the world, and that they could only accept it - along with all negativity that festered in it. And only then, could they make it a better place.

To no one in particular, Koneko asked, "Onee-sama, are you watching?"

* * *

"At last," someone said in a bored voice, "we finally see some action."

An old man chuckled. "Indeed. It is odd how it is the younger generations that play it safe - fortifying their territories before pushing into no-man's land. Yet when you see the older generations play, they are far more aggressive. Isn't that right, Diehauser? I recall you won many of your matches within the first ten minutes by charging into enemy territory from the very start and catching them with their pants down."

A middle-aged man, judging by his gray hair - though Minato could never tell with the supernatural - yawned. "I only do that when I know I can win either way. That tactic just saves me time."

Lord Phenex laughed, "Diehauser, what are you talking about? You are ranked number one in the Rating Games, _you_ _always win either way_!"

Minato found it unsurprising that there was a ranking system within the Rating Games, given the significant influence they had in Devil Society.

"Diehauser Belial," Sirzechs introduced the man for him quietly. "The undisputed champion and strongest Devil in the Rating Game system."

Strongest Devil? He turned to look at the three Satans who had chosen to sit with him for some reason.

Already knowing the question he was going to ask, Ajuka looked up from his computer. "Satans aren't allowed to take part in Rating Games. There also many Ultimate-class Devils who see the Rating Game system as a waste of time and do not participate either. Despite that, Diehauser Belial is a very strong individual. He is worthy of his title."

His curiosity sated, he turned his attention back to the screen, where the Gremory Peerage was facing two of Riser's pawns - a pair of twins, Nekomata just like Koneko. Correction, the Gremory Peerage wasn't facing them.

It was just Koneko.

 _"Leave it to me,"_ the short white-haired girl said.

The rest looked unsure, especially Akeno, who said, _"It'll be faster if we work together."_

 _"I can handle them,"_ Koneko said confidently.

 _"If Koneko-chan says she can,"_ Rias stepped up, giving her Rook a reassuring smile, _"then I think we should believe in her."_

Sirzechs giggled. "She's so cute when she acts like a leader. I just want to go there and hug her and pinch her cheeks and-"

"Not as cute as my So-tan," sang Serafall, "you should see her when she pretends to act all serious."

"Rias is better," Sirzechs all but growled.

"No, So-tan!"

As the two Satans regressed into childish bickering over whose sister was cuter, Minato looked to the third Satan, Ajuka for assistance.

"They are always like this," the green-haired Devil said, "do not mind them. Even in official meetings they do not shut up about their siblings. That is half the reason why Falbium almost never shows up for them."

"Falbium?" he asked.

"The fourth Satan. Falbium Asmodeus."

He looked around, trying to see if there was another Devil that visibly stood out from the rest.

"He's not here," Ajuka informed him casually, still furiously typing away at his computer, "he is notoriously absent for... well, everything."

Curious to know what Ajuka seemed so engrossed by, Minato leaned over his shoulder to stare at the screen. A screen's worth of complex mathematical formulae stared back, constantly adjusted and refined by the Devil. He knew some math from high school, but he couldn't even begin to make heads or tails of what he was seeing.

"It's an algorithm," explained Ajuka, "that I'm developing to predict the outcome of Rating Games. It takes in many variables, from previous battles to even the environment, and it constantly updates itself from the power readings and inputs of the participants in the Game itself."

"And you are using it now to calculate the outcome of this game?" asked Minato, still watching the Game from the corner of his eye. Koneko was fighting the two Pawns, though neither side had used anything particularly flashy - it was all kicks and punches so far.

"Mhmm," nodded Ajuka. "I've got a rough estimate of their abilities from Serafall. They are, frankly speaking, quite terrifying for a Peerage so young. As for Riser, I'm just using slightly improved stats from his most recent Game - I'm assuming he hasn't trained as hard as the Gremory Peerage."

"And?" Minato asked curiously, "what's the result?"

Ajuka scratched his chin. "It's been fluctuating quite a bit since I've been updating their profile of both Peerages constantly, but right now? Seventy to thirty in Rias' favour. Depending on the outcome of this little skirmish between Rias' Rook and Riser's two pawns, it could actually become sixty to forty."

Minato blinked. Even Sirzechs stopped arguing with Serafall, who puffed her chest out with pride. "Told you Rias-chan isn't so great! Forty percent is not a very safe bet!"

"What?" Minato asked. He expected Rias to come out on top of course, but the margin was not supposed to be so close.

"From what I've seen, you've geared Rias' Peerage to be anti-immortal. Your entire team's goal is to end up in a fight with Riser where he is alone. That scenario is fairly plausible, given the individually weak stats of the Phenex Peerage, barring a few members. If such a scenario arises, Rias' Peerage would most definitely win."

"There is Ravel too," Minato said, "she is a Phenex, and thus technically immortal as well. She is factored into the strategy. What works against Riser will work against her," Minato said.

"Of course I know that," Ajuka said. "But that's where you've miscalculated. It is not just Ravel and Riser."

"I don't understand," Minato said.

"If Riser wishes, _his entire Peerage_ can become immortal."

Minato blinked, thinking that he had heard the Satan wrongly. Sirzechs slapped himself in the forehead. "Of course! There are two Phenexes! How could I forget?!"

"Haha," Serafall cackled, "I knew it from the very start!"

In a completely serious voice, Ajuka asked, "Arisato Minato, what do you know about the tears of the Phenex Clan?"

* * *

End

 **A/N: Hi all, do check out my profile for my new story, The Unlucky Twin! It's a Naruto Fic that I'm really excited about!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

"They may not have had a training camp the way the Gremory Peerage did," Ajuka said after he was done explaining the abilities of the magical liquid, "but that does not mean that Riser is without tricks of his own up his sleeve."

The revelation made Minato frown. Phoenix Tears were something he had not been aware of, and this newfound knowledge served to remind him to keep learning of the strange world he found himself in. Even worse, he was troubled by what he heard. A substance capable of healing all but the most critical of wounds. That was quite difficult to face, and it did make Asia's job significantly more important now.

He thought about the implications of Phoenix Tears in Rating Games and said, "surely there must be some restriction of its use. What's to stop a particularly rich Devil, or the Phenexes themselves, from dominating the Rating Game scene by abusing it?"

"Pride," Sirzechs said immediately. "It's kind of like cheating. Most Devils look down on its usage, even if they have the means to procure it before a Game. It leaves a bad taste in everybody's mouth - cheapens the victory, and makes any defeat even more humiliating."

"There is that," Ajuka acknowledged his fellow Satan's statement. "But there are real regulations as well. There is a maximum quantity each Peerage is allowed to bring with them. Two vials."

Minato felt relief wash over him. "That is not so bad then."

"However, the rules do not state anything about producing more during the course of the Game itself."

"That... is quite skewed towards the Phenex's benefit," he said unhappily.

"That is not quite true," Ajuka countered. "Like Rias' Power of Destruction, producing Phoenix Tears is an intrinsic ability of the Phenexes. To deny them the chance to exercise that ability would be akin to forcing them to take a handicap."

Minato couldn't argue against that. Serafall's head suddenly popped into his vision from below, a beaming smile plastered below her sparkling eyes. "Mina-kun, isn't that great? Now both sides have healers! It's going to be so exciting!"

 _'Great'_ was not a word he would choose to describe the current situation. Nevertheless, he offered a polite smile at the bouncing Satan. "Yes, Serafall. It seems I may have miscalculated somewhat." Then turning to Ajuka, he asked, "So it is the norm? For Peerages that contain Phenex members to have a steady supply of Tears in Rating Games?"

"No." The Satan's curt answer made Minato arch an eyebrow. "It is common for Phenexes to bring Tears into the Game. Producing them, however, is a different story. It is a complicated and fragile process. Any Phenex capable of doing so under the stress and conditions of a Rating Game deserves the advantage that they are given."

"Riser?"

Sirzechs scoffed. "Unlikely. He is temperamental. Easily distracted. And while he is talented, his strength lies in his ability to manipulate his flames."

"So Ravel," Minato concluded.

Ajuka nodded. "Isn't that right, Lord Phenex?"

The sudden mention caused Minato to turn, where he discovered the blond man had been standing behind him for who-knew-how long. The man wore a look of innocence. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Lord Beelzebub."

"Really?" Ajuka didn't buy it one bit. Turning his tablet to face them, he pointed at the graph on the screen. "The production of Pheonix Tears has seen a sharp increase of a hundred-and-fifty percent in the last three months."

"A coincidence," said Lord Phenex dismissively.

"The Rating Game was confirmed three months ago. Someone's been _practicing_ " continued Ajuka.

"Another coincidence," chuckled Lord Phenex.

Serafall waved the plastic toy wand in her hand, making a circle in the air. When the air began to shimmer, Minato realized that the pink and heart-shaped contraption in her hand was, in fact, _not a toy_.

"Look," she pointed at the mirage that was beginning to form, "it's Ravel-chan!"

Ajuka frowned. "Serafall, did you just break through my meticulously crafted wards around the Arena just to create that spatio-temporal hyperlink?"

" _It's called a Peephole_ ," Serafall pouted unhappily, followed by a very hesitant sounding "...and no?"

"Do you want me to check right now?"

"Fine!" Serafall stomped her foot, and Minato would have found her actions immature if he didn't know what lurked behind that childish mask. "I'll rebuild them after this, and I'll make them better and stronger!"

Sighing, Ajuka seemed to find that response satisfying enough and finally shifted to take a look at the 'Peephole' Serafall had conjured. Minato took this as an opportunity to crane his neck to get a closer look as well.

They had a bird's eye view of the Principal's office. The furniture inside had all been pushed against the walls, leaving a very large space in the center. The room was not empty, and a large and intricate magic circle had been vandalized onto the polished wooden floor.

There were two people - he couldn't identify their features well enough - guarding the door. The third was a blonde girl sitting cross-legged in the center of the circle. Her distinctive Phenex hair was tied into curly pig-tails that reached her shoulders. She was completely still, and even the movements of breathing could not be distinguished. Meditation. He was more than familiar with the practice and the calm, stoic expression on Ravel Phenex's face was something that could commonly be seen on his own.

And then he saw it. A tiny glint in the corner of the girl's closed eyes. A lone tear that rolled down her cheek and hung from her chin.

 _Drip_

And then it fell, into an ornate chalice Minato had not seen earlier between her legs. The sigils that decorated the floor below her glowed with arcane power, and the liquid that was in the cup began to emit an orange glow. Within seconds, it was over, and everything returned back to normal. Throughout the whole process, Ravel Phenex had not moved, and even when she was done, she remained motionless. Instead, one of the guards, a petite green-haired girl, cautiously walked towards the center, making erratic strides to avoid stepping on any of the lines. She bent downwards, collecting the cup of Phoenix Tears and replacing it with a new one.

"She can repeat the process every three minutes," Lord Phenex said proudly. "Rias and her ragtag group of friends don't stand a chance."

With a wave of her hand, Serafall cancelled the link and the magical window disappeared. Ajuka paused for a moment, as if trying to recall every detail he had seen from the short glimpse. Then he began to type furiously into his computer.

Minato felt the need to defend the Gremory Peerage - they were his students after all, and he felt no small sense of pride in their progress. "Rias will win. Three minutes is more than enough time to defeat Riser's Peerage."

"Bold words, human. Let's see you back them up." Lord Phenex said in an almost-sneer.

He shrugged, then pointed at the screen that displayed the fight between Koneko and the Nekomata twins.

"Look."

* * *

Koneko cackled manically, then immediately stopped herself.

"Oops," she said in embarrassment, "I almost went overboard with the Senjutsu there."

"Almost went overboard," one of her opponents, the one with red hair and red gloves, panted exhaustively, "she's been throwing tree trunks at us and manipulating roots and branches to stab us, and only now she thinks she's gone a little overboard."

Her twin sister, a bluer version of her who wore an equally scandalous sailor outfit that exposed her midriff, nodded her head shakily. "Senjutsu is scary, nya!"

They were covered with wounds. Their revealing clothes were torn and ripped all over the place, causing more skin to be shown than hidden beneath the cloth. She could see Issei ogling at them as he wiped the drool from his chin.

Disgusting Pervert.

"After all that's happened, you still dare to use Senjutsu?"

Koneko looked up. The red Nekomata was shaking. Out of fear or anger, she did not know. She sharpened her focus towards her. The ability to read hearts was definitely useful. She took a step back when she realized it was neither fear nor anger.

"Out of all of us," the red-haired twin raised a unsteady finger. "I thought you would be the one to understand. You were there, weren't you? You're _her sister_!"

It was betrayal.

Koneko's heart skipped a beat.

"Do you even know what Kuroka did to the rest of us?"

Of course she knew. She'd been slated for execution, and it had only been the Gremorys' last minute intervention that she was still alive today. But till today, the death of a Pillar Head at the hands of a Senjutsu-wielding Nekomata was still a fresh wound on Devil Society.

"Our mother died because of your sister!"

Koneko flinched. She knew there was distrust. She knew there was discrimination. She even knew there were murders.

"If it weren't for Riser-sama's kindness..."

"The day we joined his Peerage, my sister and I made a vow. We swore that we would never touch the accursed power that is Senjutsu. Swore that we would never betray the trust Riser-sama gave us. Swore that we would never dishonor the Nekomata name."

"It seems you made no such vow, Toujou Koneko. You're just like your sister."

Slowly, she began to expel the Senjutsu out of the system.

A snapped arm. Bruised ribs. Injuries she had not noticed earlier, but could see as clear as day now. Injuries that she had inflicted. Oh dear heavens, she didn't even know how far she'd gone. This was Kuroka all over again. She was going to end up just like her sister.

" _Enough_."

The twins stopped. Koneko felt a warm and reassuring presence wash over her as somebody placed an arm on her shoulder. She looked up. Crimson red hair cascaded down a gorgeous face. A dazzling smile accompanied by a pair of brilliant green eyes greeted her.

"Koneko-chan," her King's voice soothed her. "I trust you too, okay? So just keep doing whatever you feel you need to do. I'll always believe in you."

Rias trusted her. She had always known that. But there was a pang of hurt in her chest. Back when she was still training with Tamamo, when she'd stabbed Rias in her mind.

She couldn't bear to remember that. She didn't deserve Rias' trust. She wasn't worthy of her King's devotion. Even though she had embraced Senjutsu, a small part of her was still terrified of losing control.

And if she ever did go on a destructive rampage, it would only prove to the world that her species was not to be trusted.

Koneko looked up to Rias. At this point, she'd been with Rias longer than she had with Kuroka. It seemed like it was only yesterday when they first met, when Rias had loudly complained to her brother while pointing to her, _"this isn't the pet I wanted!"_

She resisted the urge to giggle at the memory. They'd grown up together, laughed and cried together, and it hurt her deeply that her anchor could not be her King.

Rias was her King. She was Rias' Piece. All she did, all she existed for, it was all for the girl called Rias Gremory. And Koneko would be damned if she didn't do all she could to protect her King.

Steadily she stood up, patting the dirt off her skirt. Maybe Ni and Li (she still didn't know who was who) were right. Maybe she was like her sister. Maybe she'd go on a murderous rampage some time in the future.

That didn't mean she, Toujou Koneko, was wrong.

Kuroka had done it to protect Shirone. She didn't know the specifics, but there was no doubt in her heart that it was true. And if it ever happened to Toujou Koneko, she could live with it.

As long as she did it to protect Rias.

The natural energy surged into her body.

The Nekomata twins immediately tensed. There was disappointment in their faces. "History will mark this day as the downfall of our species, Toujou Koneko."

"Maybe," she said. "but it'll also be the day I save Bucchou."

* * *

Sirzechs Lucifer winced. The sight of Rias' Rook, Toujou Koneko, in her Senjutsu State sent shivers down his spine, bringing up a memory he had almost forgotten.

 _"I hear you're all looking for me, nya."_

 _He stops walking when he hears the feminine voice behind him. However, he doesn't turn. He can feel the sharp tip of Kuroka's nail digging into his skin. To think that the girl managed to get so close without him noticing. Her talent in Senjutsu is not to be estimated. Then again, he can hear the small tremble in her voice. It is slight, nearly unnoticeable. It is only because he has listened to the words of so many dying men he can recognize it._

 _Kuroka is scared. He wonders why._

 _"You killed Lord Naberius. That is a serious crime. Have you come to turn yourself in?" He asks calmly. She is no threat to him. She can decapitate him with that fingernail of hers, but at this point a physical body is a convenience for him, not a necessacity. And he can tell Kuroka knows it. No, she is not here to harm him._

 _"No." The pressure releases. The Nekoshou appears before him, her two tails flicking in the air. From out of her kimono, she pulls out a large envelope. Sirzechs Lucifer knows that there are no pockets in that outfit. So when she passes it to him, he gingerly holds it from the corners, knowing exactly where she was keeping it._

 _"What's this?" he asks._

 _"Naberius' research," she says._

 _He raises an eyebrow. He did not know Naberius was the scientist type. He unseals the envelope and flicks it to the ground, not wanting to touch it any longer than he has to. At first he just skims it. But when he sees the words "Super Devil," he immediately delves into it, paying meticulous attention to every word._

 _"This is disturbing," he finally says after minutes of reading._

 _"I did you a favor by killing him," Kuroka says quietly._

 _"But that's not why you killed him, is it?"_

 _She shakes head. Sirzechs waits for an elaboration, but sighs when she doesn't provide one. Everybody has their secrets. Though some are more dangerous than others, he thinks as he looks down at the late Lord Naberius' scribbles. One thing is for certain. The Nekomata in front of him is not the psychotic mass murderer everyone makes her out to be. For a moment, he considers killing her. It would only take an instant, and would be more than justified given her rank SS status._

 _"You want something in return," he surmised._

 _She nods. Sirzechs makes up his mind. Her answer will determine if he kills her. The fewer the people that know about Naberius' work, the better._

 _"Save my sister."_

 _Sirzechs blinks._

 _"What?" he asks._

 _"Save my sister. That's all I ask for."_

 _That is right, he remembers. Kuroka has a sister. A young white-haired Nekomata called Shirone, who is awaiting execution. "What about your innocence?" he asks curiously._

 _"I killed him in cold blood. I deserve my fate. She does not. So save her. Save my precious younger sister."_

 _The calm expression on Sirzechs' face cracks. All he can picture right now in his mind is Rias. And then he realizes that Kuroka is the same as him._ _Except while Rias is happy and playing with her dolls, Shirone is trapped behind bars, a noose tightening around her neck with every second._

 _He makes eye contact with the despondent Nekomata. He nods his head. "I will."_

There were many decisions that Sirzechs Lucifer regretted making. Saving Toujou Koneko was not one of them.

"That's Senjutsu," a Devil near him remarked.

"Not only that," another one whispered controversially, "that's the sister of Lord Naberius' killer."

"Interesting, it seems she's taking in even more Senjutsu. She's preparing for a rather large attack," said Ajuka, switching his attention between his computer and the screen displaying the match.

Sirzechs threw a glance at the boy, Arisato Minato, who was staring at the screen with his usual impassive expression. A small portion of his mind told him to kill the enigmatic boy while he was distracted, but it was drowned out by logic and what little morals he had left. Arisato Minato's powers seemed to be as infinite as they were mysterious, but the boy had never once used it to cause unnecessary harm. Furthermore, he had helped Rias not once, but twice.

 _That same power can be used to hurt Rias._ There it was. The irritating voice that sought only to destroy. Scowling, Sirzechs pushed it away into the deepest parts of his mind. He did not want to fight Minato, and more importantly, he didn't know if he _could_ , nor was he willing to find out.

There was a pregnant silence in the room and Sirzechs looked up and saw Toujou Koneko had suddenly closed her eyes and was now kneeling, placing one hand on the ground.

"Sirzechs." Blinking, the Satan realized the very boy he was fretting over earlier was suddenly talking to him. "How exactly does the Rating Game retirement system work?"

Ajuka answered for him, "once the system registers a fatal wound, it immediately teleports the wounded party out in a state of stasis where medical treatment is immediately administered. There are some exceptions, such as the Phenex's regeneration ability. But the system takes account into all of this."

Sirzechs nodded in agreement. It was better for Ajuka to explain, given that the green-haired Satan was the one who designed the whole workings of it anyway. Minato did not seem satisfied. "And if there's an explosion? Or a sudden release of energy that could vaporize a participant in an instant?"

"Uh," Ajuka suddenly seemed on edge. "I suppose the system would teleport said participant away the instant it recognizes that the participant has no means of defense or escape."

Looking unconvinced, Minato nodded thoughtfully. Serafall smiled sweetly, "Mina-kun~, is there something you know that we should as well?"

He looked back at her. "Am I correct to assume that the Underworld was once uninhabitable? With brimstone and fire and lava? Like how it is portrayed in popular culture on Earth?"

"Correct," Sirzechs said when Serafall scrunched her nose up, clearly not knowing her history as well as she should. Though it was hardly her fault. The Underworld had not been that way for tens of millennia. The only Devil who might have remembered those days were Zekram.

Minato frowned. "Then I think it is best for those two Nekomatas to resign right now."

* * *

Ever since the start of the battle, Koneko realized there was something not quite right in the natural energy that permeated in the Underworld. It felt weakened, diluted, and perhaps even tainted. And so she came to the conclusion that the Underworld was not natural. Not just the Rating Game arena, but the whole Underworld itself.

Someone had tampered with it.

It was not uncommon. The Satans had created an artificial Sun, introducing day-night cycles to help assimilate the Reincarnated Devils, but what she felt was a change far more fundamental than that. The Underworld spoke to her. The two Nekomata in front of her were obstacles to Rias' freedom. They needed to be eliminated. It could do it for her. In one fell swoop, they could be removed from her sight. All she needed to do, was _pull_.

And pull she did.

The earth creaked.

Koneko pulled harder, devoting her soul and mind into the task. She could feel the the core of the Underworld responding to her efforts, an uncontrollable miasma of passion and fury.

The earth groaned.

In her focused state, she did not see the ground begin to crack as it heated up. Did not notice her feet becoming warmer as glowing orange slits spilled out magma around her. Did not realize the tears of blood that rolled down her cheeks as she performed magic far beyond her.

All she could think of was pulling. Liberating the Underworld from its suppressed state.

And finally, the earth _roared_.

The ground rumbled and shook, disintegrating to become disjointed plates as geysers of lava exploded towards the sky. Dozens of them, erupting from the ground where the two Nekomata were standing. Flying would do them no good, for what followed was a rain of magma that threatened to melt anything in the air.

The air burned with a sulfuric taste, and it parched her throat. Koneko could feel her eyes begin to dry up as someone grabbed her by the collar before scooping her up and running away. When she tried to look up and see who it was, all she could see were dancing spots of darkness.

"Holy shit, Koneko-chan! Give us some warning if you're going to do something awesome like that!" That was Issei-senpai's voice. She was being carried by him.

Before sleep claimed her, all she heard were a stunned announcer's words.

"R-Riser Phenex's two Pawns have retired..."

Only then did she allow her eyes to close.

* * *

The stunned silence in the room was broken a few moments later, when a pair of hands began to clap slowly.

"Magnificent. Simply magnificent! That is a sight I have not seen in millennia!" An old man's voice chortled.

Minato's eyes were still glued to the screen. Devastating was not enough to describe what Koneko had just done. Catastrophic didn't do it justice. Koneko had unleashed an attack he could only classify as apocalyptic. It was exactly that, like watching the end of the world, the coming of the Rapture. A portion of the forest was completely missing, replaced with a scorched earth that oozed magma from the many crevices that scarred it. Every few seconds a miniature volcanic eruption would occur, and the ensuing shower of lava would set the surrounding trees ablaze. Already, a third of the forest was on fire. A tsunami of flames threatened to swallow the Gremory Peerage, who were doing their best to escape it, be it on wings or on foot. At the current rate, it would only be a matter of minutes before the whole arena was engulfed in flames.

"Serafall, if you could please," Sirzechs said calmly.

Somebody snapped their fingers, and Minato blinked when the raging inferno and burning wasteland was covered with a sheen of a silvery and white material.

Ice.

"Done," said Serafall, looking not at all tired after freezing an entire forest.

"Zekram," Ajuka nodded towards the aged man standing at the entrance. Minato realized this must have been the man who had been applauding and speaking earlier. "Nice of you to finally join us."

"Pardon these old bones," the man laughed as he made his way towards an available seat, "I am not as fast as I used to be. I would never miss the wedding of one of my great-grandnieces. Still, it seems I arrived at the perfect moment. Seeing that... it really makes an old man feel nostalgic."

"You... you mean that the Underworld actually used to look like that? How did you live?" asked a Devil.

Zekram burst into laughter. "That's the whole point! We didn't! Once the original four Satans came into power, the first thing they did was to suppress the... tantrums of the land. They were sick and tired of their brethren and their buildings being randomly vaporized. It took them a few years. But I am surprised a girl so young was able to reverse it, even if it was only a tiny plot of land."

"Yes," Zeoticus Gremory looked at him, "remarkable achievement for the Nekomata. She must have had a very skilled teacher."

More than a few eyes turned to stare at him. His lips curled slightly. Even he had been taken surprise, and he could hear Tamamo cheering for her student in his mind.

Unimpressed, Lord Phenex nudged his head towards the screen. "The girl spent all her energy on the attack. That is hardly worth it. A Rook for two pawns. She already had the upper hand earlier, didn't she?" An unconscious Koneko was being piggybacked by Issei as the Gremory Peerage huddled together to discuss their next course of action. "Seems like a Cadmean victory to me."

"Well, she is still a rookie at Senjutsu," Sirzechs shrugged. "A few weeks of training is hardly enough time to for a practitioner to distinguish between their own will and that of the land's. A diamond in the rough."

Diehauser Belial looked ponderous. "If she can do that after such a short amount of time... imagine what she can do once she has matured."

"Indeed," agreed Zekram, "it will be a glorious sight. Whole Devil cities set ablaze as towers of lava tear through our buildings and send our civilization crumbling back into the Stone Ages."

"Now is not the time for jokes," frowned Sirzechs.

"I am not. Once word of this gets out, and it will, any enemy of Devils will realize that Senjutsu has the ability to weaponize our very homeland against us. And there are only a few factions capable of using Senjutsu to such a degree. We must strike first."

"We are not attacking the Youkai or the Shintos, Zekram." Serafall said seriously, reverting back to what Minato had come to identify as her 'Satan' personality. "Nor are we going to China to fight the Taoists. Doing so will invite the attacks that we are trying to avoid in the first place."

Zekram shrugged. "Fine. Do as you wish, but do not say I did not warn you, my dear Satans."

Diehauser leveled a steady stare at Minato, who had managed to remain incognito up until the point. "Perhaps it is not the factions we should be worrying about, but the teacher. A Senjutsu user affiliated with humans, one able to bring out such great progress in such a short amount of time. That is more worrying, isn't it?"

"In my defense," Minato said, "she was never taught that. Even her teacher felt that communicating with the planet itself was slightly beyond her."

"Slightly beyond?" a Devil woman repeated mockingly, "This is exactly why we should have restricted the use of Senjutsu in the first place! It's far too dangerous!"

"Pathetic."

His, no everybody's, eyes snapped up when Zekram spoke venomously.

"That is the most pathetic thing I have heard in a long while." Minato took a step back at the sudden outburst from the aged Devil. "You fear the girl's ability, so you seek to restrain it. That is such a _human_ thing to do. A weakling's choice of action. We are Devils, or have you forgotten that? When have we been cowed by the powers of others? When did we resort to laws and sanctions to punish those who harmed us? A century of peace, and this is what we get. Dull fangs and cowards. You have forgotten your pride as a Devil, so do us all a favor and _leave_."

The woman in question, a young blond Devil, gulped and hastily walked out, holding her head up as she did so. Nobody mentioned how her arms had been trembling.

"Zekram," Sirzechs warned.

"Oh?" Zekram raised an eyebrow. "Did my views strike too close to that of the Old Satan's Faction's for you? Rest assured I am not one of them. In fact, I am reassured by the presence of such talented Reincarnated Devils like that Nekomata. They give me hope in the future of Devilkind." Then the old man smiled at him. "You are her teacher, yes?" Slowly, Minato nodded. "Yet, you are not a Devil. Interesting." The man seemed to consider something for a moment. "Would you like to join my Peerage? You would be its very first member, you know?"

The offer seemed sincere enough. The man was simply asking, with no strings attached or malice behind it. Still, that was no reason to give up his humanity. "No, thank you," declined, shaking his head as he did so. "I would like to remain human."

Zekram blinked in surprise. "Human?"

"Yes?" the sheer amount of incredulity in Zekram's one-word response caused Minato to have sudden doubts in his own reply.

"Human you are not. I can assure you that."

"I am," he insisted.

"Child, I came into being only slightly after Creation itself. I watched the birth and extinction of trillions of species. I watched humans evolve from their tree-dwelling ancestors. I can tell you without a doubt, that you are not a mere human."

Suddenly, he remembered Xenovia's crazy request for him to create a religion. Why of all times was he remembering this now?

"No human," the old Devil said gravely, "has so much darkness in their heart."

* * *

Akeno finally signaled for the Peerage to stop. Even after the whole forest had somehow frozen, which she suspected was the interference of a certain Satan, she did not take the risk and allow them to rest immediately. Whatever it was Koneko had done, it was sure to attract the rest of Riser's Peerage. They had cleared the forest and beyond before she allowed them to take a break and calm their nerves.

What in the world just happened? She could see that they were shaken up. It had called out to her in that instant, all the destruction, and for some strange reason she found herself at home despite being so close to death.

"Asia," she said, "please check up on Koneko-chan."

As the former nun activated Twilight Healing and began to inspect Koneko's body, Akeno felt a twinge of envy in her heart. Koneko could raze a forest. Kiba could create a sword capable of cutting a Satan. Rias could destroy a small mountain (according to her, at least). Meanwhile, she'd seen no visible improvement in herself. Sun Tze had been right, every Peerage needed a strategist, but why did it have to be her? She was the Queen, the strongest piece, but now she could only gape as she watched her teammates do the fighting for her.

"She is alright," Asia said, "just exhausted from magical exertion. She will be unconscious for a while. Either way, she is in no shape to fight after this."

"Akeno-senpai," Issei suddenly asked, "what do we do now?"

Akeno bit her lip. Koneko's state was equivalent to a resignation. If the Rook couldn't fight, what use did Koneko even have?

 _"Do not think of your Peerage as mere Pieces. That only limits their potential."_

She suddenly recalled Sun Tze's words. She mentally berated herself for casting out Koneko so fast. And herself, she realized. _"A General must fight while he leads. That is the only way for his soldiers to follow."_ She could always resort to using _it_ . She detested using anything her father gave her. Just learning to use Holy Lightning itself had left a bad taste in her mouth. But for Rias... she was willing to descend into the deepest pits of Hell. Utilizing more of her Fallen Angel heritage would be painful, but she would bear with it.

Hopefully, it would not ever come to pass.

"Akeno?" Her King asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

She broke out from her trance and looked up, realizing that everyone was now staring at her. _They were waiting_ , she realized. Waiting for her announce their next step. They needed her here and now, so she chucked whatever it was she had been thinking earlier to the back of her mind.

Riser's Peerage was down two pawns. However, they probably knew the rough whereabouts of their location already, and were probably all on their way. That was how Riser's Peerage fought. The pawns would lure and herd their enemies together. Once that had been achieved, Riser would appear, drawing their attention and fire while his Queen would unleash a bombardment of explosions while they were distracted, wiping them out.

A simple but effective strategy that was helping Riser climb his way to the top of the rankings in the junior division.

The one advantage they had was surprise. Riser didn't know the full extent of their abilities, while Akeno had a general gist of theirs. More importantly, Riser was the one coming to them.

And then, before she could formulate a strategy, a spike of magical energy in the air made her scream one lone command.

"SCATTER!"

By the time the first explosion rocked the Earth, the Gremory Peerage were already in the air, with Issei carrying Koneko.

 _How?_ Akeno wondered. How could Riser's Peerage be so fast? Then through the smoke, she finally appeared. Her skin was raw and bleeding. Her clothes were torn and burnt. And Akeno realized their foe had chased them through the hellish landscape the Forest had been earlier. A foolish course of action. Sacrificing one's own body just to catch up to a fleeing opponent. That was Akeno's first thought. Until she realized the Gremory Peerage was now split up, and the ringing explosions prevented any kind of communication.

Akeno gulped. She was not prepared for this at all.

 _Yubelluna. The Bomb Queen._

* * *

 **A/N: A rather short chapter, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Do check out my Naruto and new Harry Potter fics! Updates for Fallen Messiah can be expected to be slower, since I want to bring the other two stories up to speed. Also, I don't intend on playing Persona, but since DxD has somehow managed to get _four seasons_ , I'll try to actually find out what's going on in canon before I publish the next chapt!**

 **Review, Fav & Follow, thanks all!**


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